Armenians and Azerbaijanis discuss how to shape a dialogue best suited for today's realities as LINKS Europe kicks off new initiative

LINKS Europe held its first event within the recently launched EU4Peace III initiative in Tbilisi on Thursday 30 January. Armenian and Azerbaijani participants engaged in an open and constructive discussion on how to shape a dialogue best suited to today's realities.

The meeting was opened by Mr. Maximiliaan van Lange, Deputy Director of LINKS Europe, who introduced the EU4Peace III initiative, outlining its objectives and strategic approach. He highlighted LINKS Europe's component focusing on the promotion of inclusive dialogue and engagement. He explained that this component will have five thematic groups, consisting of 10 participants each from Armenia and Azerbaijan, and thematic groups would hold face-to-face and virtual meetings over the coming months. Each group will be led by a designated moderator and the results will be compiled in a final report.

The thematic groups will convene to discuss the following topics:

(1) Climate Change & the Green Economy;

(2) Peace & Security;

(3) Governance;

(4) Regional Connectivity;

(5) Gender and Diversity 

The event included two interactive workshop sessions moderated by Mr Anri Stepanian and Ms Alexandra Dumitrescu from LINKS Europe. These sessions facilitated an open exchange of perspectives, ensuring that the voices of all participants were heard and taken into account. The discussions provided valuable insights into existing challenges and opportunities, and strengthened the role of LINKS Europe within the EU4Peace III framework.

The meeting concluded with a discussion on next steps, highlighting the importance of sustained engagement. It was noteworthy that almost all participants were involved in the EU4Peace III initiative for the first time.

Armenia-Azerbaijan Expert Political Dialogue Platform

On 2nd April, at a meeting in The Hague, LINKS Europe will launch the Armenia-Azerbaijan Expert Political Dialogue Platform. The platform is a parallel, mutually reenforcing initiative bringing together experienced Armenian and Azerbaijani experts and stakeholders. It is expected that one of the main tasks of the platform in 2025 will be to support the thematic groups, particularly in the phase of preparation of their reports.

EU4Peace III Initiative

The EU4Peace III initiative, supported and funded by the European Union, aims to contribute to the sustainable normalisation of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. By broadening the engagement of social groups, the initiative aims to link political processes to wider societal transformation.

Source: commonspace.eu with LINKS Europe.

Related articles

Editor's choice
News
Key European countries back Denmark in the face of Trump's continuing insistence on taking over Greenland

Key European countries back Denmark in the face of Trump's continuing insistence on taking over Greenland

 Six major European countries have declared their support to Denmark following renewed insistence by the US that it must have control over Greenland. "Greenland belongs to its people, and only Denmark and Greenland can decide on matters concerning their relations," said the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain, in a joint statement, issued on Tuesday (6 January), together with Denmark. On Sunday, Donald Trump said the US "needed" Greenland - a semi-autonomous region of fellow Nato member Denmark - for security reasons. He has refused to rule out the use of force to take control of the territory, and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned on Monday that an attack by the US would spell the end of Nato. The issue of Greenland's future resurfaced in the wake of the US military intervention in Venezuela, during which elite troops went in to seize the country's President Nicolás Maduro and take him to face drugs and weapons charges in New York. Following the raid, Trump said the US would "run" Venezuela for an unspecified period of time. He also said the US was returning to an 1823 policy of US supremacy in its sphere of influence in the Western hemisphere - and he warned a number of countries the US could turn its attention to them. The US military raid in Venezuela has reignited fears that the US may consider using force to secure control of Greenland. A day after the raid, Katie Miller - the wife of one of Trump's senior aides - posted on social media a map of Greenland in the colours of the American flag, alongside the word "SOON". On Monday, her husband Stephen Miller said it was "the formal position of the US government that Greenland should be part of the US". In an interview with CNN, he also said the US "is the power of Nato. For the US to secure the Arctic region, to protect and defend Nato and Nato interests, obviously Greenland should be part of the US." Asked repeatedly whether the US would rule out using force to annex it, Miller responded: "Nobody's going to fight the US over the future of Greenland." Stressing they were as keen as the US in Arctic security, the seven European signatories of Tuesday's joint statement said this must be achieved by Nato allies, including the US "collectively" - whilst "upholding the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders". Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen welcomed the statement and called for "respectful dialogue". "The dialogue must take place with respect for the fact that Greenland's status is rooted in international law and the principle of territorial integrity," Nielsen said. Trump has claimed that making Greenland part of the US would serve American security interests due to its strategic location and its abundance of minerals critical to high-tech sectors. Greenland, which has a population of 57,000 people, has had extensive self-government since 1979, though defence and foreign policy remain in Danish hands. While most Greenlanders favour eventual independence from Denmark, opinion polls show overwhelming opposition to becoming part of the US.

Popular