Anna Hakobyan Seen Shaking Hands With First Ladies of Azerbaijan and Turkey

Wife of Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Anna Hakobyan, recently traveled to China where she joined official events organized by the country’s leadership. Photos shared in Azerbaijani media showed Hakobyan warmly shaking hands with Mehriban Aliyeva, the wife of Azerbaijan’s dictator Ilham Aliyev, and Emine Erdoğan, the wife of Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Hakobyan herself shared a post on Facebook about the visit, writing:

 “I participated in the reception of the First Lady of the People’s Republic of China, Peng Liyuan. Afterwards, we had a boat tour along the Haihe River to get to know the sights of Tianjin city.”

She published only group photographs from the event.

While the meeting may appear diplomatic on the surface, it carries a deeper political meaning. For decades, Turkey and Azerbaijan have carried out hostile policies against Armenia and Armenians worldwide. These two countries have stood together in denying the Armenian Genocide, in blockading Armenia, and most recently in destroying the self-determined Republic of Artsakh.

The warm gestures captured in the photographs are part of Azerbaijan’s media strategy to present itself as a “peaceful” neighbor, despite its ongoing anti-Armenian aggression. Baku has a history of using staged photo opportunities to cover up its crimes in Artsakh, including the ethnic cleansing of 2023 when the entire Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh was forced out of their homes.

Armenians know very well that behind these smiles and handshakes lies a painful reality. Aliyev’s government continues to spread hate against Armenians, erases Armenian cultural heritage in Artsakh, and threatens Armenia’s sovereign territory. Turkey, on the other hand, openly supports Azerbaijan’s military campaigns, while keeping Armenia’s borders closed.

Anna Hakobyan’s participation in international events is important for Armenia’s visibility, but it should also serve as a reminder that diplomacy with hostile states must be approached carefully. True peace will never come from staged photos or forced displays of friendship. It can only come when Azerbaijan and Turkey respect Armenia’s rights, recognize Artsakh’s struggle for self-determination, and end their anti-Armenian policies.

Even though Artsakh’s population was displaced in 2023, the fight for justice continues. No photo-op in China can erase the suffering of tens of thousands of Armenians who were forced to leave their ancestral homes. Armenia must remain strong in defending its people, its history, and the truth about Artsakh.