From 4 to 8 July 2026, the 33rd Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) was held in The Hague, the Netherlands, where I participated as an accompanying member of the Azerbaijani delegation.
Drawing upon my observations during the Session, as well as interviews and discussions that I conducted with the heads of the parliamentary delegations of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Germany, France, Türkiye, and the United States, together with the United States Ambassador to the OSCE, the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, and the Secretary General of the Assembly, this article offers a brief analysis of the emerging approach towards Azerbaijan within the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. International parliamentary organizations rarely alter geopolitical realities directly. Rather, their primary role is to promote political dialogue among states, shape international public opinion, and serve as platforms where emerging political trends and future policy directions can first be observed. Viewed from this perspective, the Hague Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly was significant not only as the organization's annual gathering but also as an important indicator of changing political attitudes towards the South Caucasus. As an accompanying member of the Azerbaijani delegation, I had the opportunity to attend the plenary sittings, committee meetings, parliamentary group discussions, and numerous exchanges with parliamentarians from across the OSCE region. These interactions enabled me not only to follow the official proceedings but also to gain first-hand insight into the evolving perceptions of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and the South Caucasus among parliamentarians from different participating States. Perhaps the most significant outcome of the Session for Azerbaijan was what did not happen. For the first time in the 33-year history of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, neither the former Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict nor the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia was reflected in any of the resolutions adopted during the Session.
This should not be regarded as a mere procedural coincidence. The Hague Session demonstrated that the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly has increasingly acknowledged the new regional realities shaped under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, taking into account Azerbaijan's victory, the resulting shift in the regional balance of power, and the understanding that progress towards lasting peace can only be achieved through direct negotiations between Baku and Yerevan. This evolution has significantly influenced the Assembly's approach towards Azerbaijan. Throughout the five-day Session, it became increasingly evident that a growing number of parliamentarians believe that sustainable peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia can only be achieved through direct negotiations between two sovereign states. Compared with previous years, there was a much stronger consensus that externally imposed political models or unilateral initiatives are unlikely to produce durable and lasting results. Another important outcome of the Session was Azerbaijan's continued representation within the leadership structures of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. Leadership positions within the Assembly are not allocated automatically or through regional rotation; they are filled through elections by the representatives of participating States. Consequently, Azerbaijan's continued representation reflects not merely confidence in an individual office-holder but also recognition of the country's constructive engagement and growing contribution to the work of the Assembly. Within the framework of the Session, I also conducted research as part of my Global Politics studies entitled "How Do Members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly View the TRIPP Initiative: A Peacebuilding Mechanism for the South Caucasus or an Instrument of Geopolitical Competition?" As part of this research, I conducted separate interviews and discussions with the heads of the parliamentary delegations of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Germany, France, Türkiye, and the United States, as well as with the United States Ambassador to the OSCE, the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, and the Secretary General of the Assembly.
The findings of the research indicate that the majority of my interlocutors regard the TRIPP initiative, together with the Zangezur Corridor, which Azerbaijan has actively promoted, not merely as projects of bilateral importance for Azerbaijan and Armenia, but as strategic initiatives capable of strengthening trade, transport connectivity, economic cooperation, and regional integration across the South Caucasus, Asia, Europe, and the United States. During these discussions, the efforts undertaken by both Azerbaijan and Armenia to advance a sustainable peace process were widely welcomed and positively assessed. These findings also suggest that Azerbaijan has entered a fundamentally new stage in international parliamentary diplomacy. Increasingly, the country is viewed as a responsible regional actor contributing to stability, cooperation, and economic integration across the wider Eurasian region.
At the same time, the political and security architecture established under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev is gaining broader recognition within the international community.
Atilla Guluzade, President of the Law Society of Dunya School
