Armenian, Azerbaijani parliament speakers hold talks in Istanbul

The parliament speakers of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Alen Simonyan and Sahiba Gafarova, met in Istanbul on the sidelines of the 152nd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly on Friday.

According to the Armenian National Assembly, the leaders welcomed recent progress in normalizing relations, highlighting initiatives aimed at bolstering peace, stability and expanding trade ties. Both sides underscored the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s role as a vital platform for dialogue and expressed gratitude to Secretary-General Martin Chungong for his personal efforts in fostering communication between the two legislatures.

The speakers praised the continuation of contacts between parliamentary delegations within international organizations, a process that began after their October 2025 meeting in Geneva. They agreed to sustain these exchanges, emphasizing the importance of constructive parliamentary dialogue in strengthening trust between Armenian and Azerbaijani societies.