Armenian speaker expects Azerbaijani, Turkish leaders at Yerevan summit
Armenia’s National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan has said he expects the presidents of Azerbaijan and Türkiye to attend the 8th European Political Community (EPC) Summit, scheduled to take place in Yerevan in May 2026.
Simonyan made the remarks while responding to Azerbaijani media reports that President Ilham Aliyev would not participate in the summit, News.Az reports, citing Armenian media.
“We expect that all countries that have traditionally participated will find a way to visit the Republic of Armenia during this important event. I don’t think any other logic should be read into this, as it is clear that in such a case, the president of Azerbaijan will either make a statement or some official action will take place,” Simonyan said.
He added that during a recent meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Sahiba Gafarova, the issue of Azerbaijan’s absence from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Euronest, which was held in Armenia, was also discussed.
“During the meeting, my counterpart asked me to convey that they have no problems visiting the Republic of Armenia, and their absence from Euronest is solely due to their relationship with that organization. They see no issues with our cooperation and reciprocal visits,” Simonyan noted.
He emphasized that both sides should be prepared for a visit by an Azerbaijani delegation to Yerevan and an Armenian delegation to Baku.
“Of course, there are issues that need to be discussed, particularly regarding our prisoners and detainees, which is one of the main concerns. But contacts will continue, and we will deepen them. As far as I understand, the Azerbaijani side maintains the same position,” Simonyan said.
Earlier, Azerbaijani media, citing diplomatic sources, reported that President Aliyev has no plans to visit Armenia for the EPC summit, as the current level of bilateral relations does not yet allow such a visit to be considered a realistic step.
“A high-level visit without a signed agreement and without the launch of practical mechanisms could create a false impression that the process is complete. As long as the legal framework is not in place and commitments have not begun to be implemented, such steps would be premature,” Azerbaijani media reported.
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan previously told journalists that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev have been invited to attend the EPC summit in Yerevan next spring.
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