Speaker Alen Simonyan Opposes Armenia’s Attendance at Baku Climate Summit Without Return of POWs

The Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, Alen Simonyan, has voiced his firm stance on Armenia’s potential participation in the United Nations climate summit (COP29) set to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 11 to November 22. Simonyan has stressed that Armenia should refrain from attending the event unless Azerbaijan agrees to release Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) and other detainees.

The Armenian foreign ministry has received an official invitation to the COP29 climate conference from Azerbaijan, directed to Armenia’s Foreign Minister, Ararat Mirzoyan. However, the question of whether Armenia will participate has sparked public debate, especially given the recent history of war, Azerbaijani invasion, and mass exodus.

When asked by reporters on Monday about Armenia's response to the invitation, Speaker Simonyan emphasized that any opportunity to secure the release of Armenian detainees should be a top priority for Armenia. "I don’t think we should hesitate to take steps when there is an opportunity to return prisoners," Simonyan commented, underlining the significance of securing the safe return of Armenian nationals before committing to diplomatic engagements in Baku.

Currently, 23 ethnic Armenians are being held in detention by Azerbaijani authorities. This group includes eight former military and political leaders from Nagorno-Karabakh, who were arrested following Azerbaijan’s military operations in the region last year. The swift takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh by Azerbaijani forces led to the displacement of over 120,000 ethnic Armenians, with most fleeing to Armenia. This mass exodus left the territory nearly devoid of its indigenous Armenian population, deepening the historical and political rift between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

While Foreign Minister Mirzoyan has not yet confirmed Armenia's attendance at the Baku summit, he has hinted that the government remains undecided. Some reports suggest that Mirzoyan may weigh the possibility of participation if there is a guarantee that Armenian detainees will be returned. Such a condition reflects Armenia’s strong stance on the issue of human rights and the importance of securing the release of its nationals.

The Armenian opposition has also spoken out against attending the summit without preconditions. Two opposition factions within the Armenian Parliament have suggested convening a special session dedicated to discussing the situation of Armenian captives held in Azerbaijan. The opposition argues that any diplomatic participation in Azerbaijani-hosted events should be contingent upon clear assurances of detainees’ release.

These opposition factions argue that the Armenian government has a duty to use every possible platform, including international gatherings, to advocate for the freedom of Armenians detained by Azerbaijan. They believe that until Azerbaijan shows a willingness to negotiate the detainees' release, Armenia’s attendance at the climate summit could be interpreted as acquiescence.