Armenian Delegation Arrives in Baku for First Government-Backed Talks — No Plan to Visit Armenian POWs

Five representatives of Armenia’s civil society have arrived in Baku to take part in joint discussions with Azerbaijani experts. This is one of the first such visits organized with the support of both governments. A visit to Armenian captives held in Azerbaijani prisons is not included in the program, even though members of the group had previously expressed interest in meeting them.

After learning the details of the trip, The Armenian Report sent questions to delegation member Areg Kochinyan and Boris Navasardian regarding safety guarantees, possible concerns before traveling, and whether the group intended to request access to Armenian prisoners of war. No response has been received. The full text of our questions appears below.

The visit follows a meeting in Yerevan one month ago between Armenian and Azerbaijani expert groups. That gathering became controversial when it was revealed that the Azerbaijani side included a female activist who took part in the blockade of the Lachin Corridor in late 2022. 

Armenian officials later explained that the sides had not reviewed each other’s delegation lists in advance.

According to a statement posted by the delegation a few hours ago: “On November 21, 2025, a group of representatives of Armenia’s civil society arrived in the capital of Azerbaijan. This is a return visit to the Azerbaijani delegation’s visit to the Armenian capital on October 21–22, 2025. Representatives of Azerbaijani and Armenian civil societies continue their dialogue within the framework of the peace agenda established after the Joint Declaration adopted in Washington on August 8.”

According to publicly available flight information, the FlyOne aircraft carrying the Armenian delegation landed in Baku earlier today. The Armenian government allocated 17.5 million drams ($46,000) for the charter flight. Accommodation expenses for the group are being covered by the Azerbaijani side.

The government explained that participation in the discussions is intended to strengthen communication between civil society representatives of both countries and help develop trust-building mechanisms.

The Armenian group will take part in two days of meetings with Azerbaijani counterparts. The discussions are expected to include border-related issues, regional transport links, and steps connected to earlier expert-level proposals. This includes work related to unblocking regional routes and clarifying details involving railway connections through Nakhijevan.

The delegation consists of political analysts Areg Kochinyan, Narek Minasyan, Samvel Meliksetyan, human rights defender Naira Sultanyan, and the honorary president of the Yerevan Press Club, Boris Navasardian. The group was formed at the suggestion of the Armenian government.

The Armenian Report sent the following questions to Areg Kochinyan  and Boris Navasardian before publication:

“Since you are traveling to Baku tomorrow, and this seems to be the first such visit by Armenian civil society — similar to the Azerbaijani delegation’s earlier visit to Yerevan — we would like to clarify a few questions. You have said that the effectiveness of negotiations between Yerevan and Baku has multiplied, and that with the support of both governments these visits have now become possible. We would like to understand whether you have any concerns or apprehensions before traveling to Baku, whether you consider the trip safe, and whether the Azerbaijani government has taken responsibility for ensuring your security.

In addition, since our news outlet serves an international audience — and the international community is currently following very closely the situation of Armenian POWs held in Baku’s prisons — we would like to clarify whether you plan to visit the Armenian prisoners of war, given that you are among the very few Armenians who have the opportunity to travel to Baku.”

No response was provided prior to publication. Both individuals were given 24 hours to respond to our questions. —

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