An event between the civil society, expert community, and media members of Armenia and Azerbaijan took place in Tsaghkadzor, Armenia. Areg Kochinyan, coordinator of the “Peace Bridge” initiative, told a press conference Monday.

“There were 20 delegates from each side. The delegation of the Azerbaijani side had arrived in Armenia through the delimited and demarcated section of the border, a point near the village of Voskepar, having gone through all the relevant procedures. They had arrived in Armenia, and our conference had taken place. There is a significant expansion of the format. Twenty people from each side participated instead of five people before. I consider this quite important,” Kochinyan noted, adding that it is about an already established format, and not about any one-, two- or three-time initiative.

"This is a format with its own rules, its own traditions, which continues and will continue. I consider it important that the [Armenian and Azerbaijani] parties, in addition to these meetings, also do quite serious ‘homework.’ In our two countries, the relevant delegations organize meetings with representatives of civil society, with the media, with the expert community, with citizens of those countries, visits to regional communities are planned. Initiatives in all directions are working to form the most inclusive environment possible. The initiatives have agreed on joint projects. We are writing joint articles, the first of which, a joint research, I hope that you will have the opportunity to see in the coming days. We are discussing other joint projects, which we will soon make a reality. I also consider it important that the tradition continues among us that the parties, regardless of whether the event is in Armenia or Azerbaijan, have the opportunity to raise all issues of concern to their societies and hold discussions," Areg Kochinyan added.

He informed that the idea of ​​a land crossing was born during the expert discussions. “And in both countries, they welcomed that idea and made it a reality. I also want to emphasize, in particular, that for the first time, the events are being implemented with the direct support of the governments of both countries, with state support and state funding,” he noted.

And referring to the criticism that with these initiatives they are erasing the past and forgetting the pain of Armenians, Kochinyan said as follows, in particular: “The goal of this format is to try to form projects, discussions that also serve the peace agenda, to try to form a positive portfolio, while at the same time trying to assist the solution of existing problems by offering ideas,” noted Areg Kochinyan.

A few days ago, a delegation from Azerbaijan arrived in Armenia through a delimited and demarcated section of the land border between the two countries, having gone through all the relevant procedures.