AZE.US
A planned visit by Azerbaijani experts to Yerevan was postponed after a dispute over how the Gandzasar monastery was presented to foreign diplomats, Azerbaijani analyst Farhad Mammadov said.
Speaking on the Novosti Kavkaza channel, Mammadov said the Azerbaijani participants in the Peace Bridge initiative had been prepared to discuss cultural and religious heritage with their Armenian counterparts. The subject was already on the agenda, he said, but a statement by the Armenian members changed the conditions for the visit.
The Armenian participants had expressed concern over the presentation of Gandzasar during a diplomatic visit. In their statement, they warned that the episode could deepen public distrust and make dialogue harder. Mammadov said the Azerbaijani group viewed the response as one-sided and decided to postpone its trip.
Mammadov did not describe the decision as an end to the initiative. He said the two sides would need time to assess the dispute before arranging another direct meeting. In his view, a quick resumption of visits is unlikely.
The pause in the experts’ dialogue comes as official contacts continue. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan met in New York on September 24. According to Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry, they discussed the reopening of economic and transport links and agreed to continue direct talks.
For Mammadov, the difference between the two tracks is clear: governments remain at the negotiating table, while the people tasked with building trust between the societies are struggling to meet. He argued that practical agreements on transport and safe travel could help restore confidence in the broader peace process.
AZE.US