The South Caucasus has attracted attention in recent years as a space where geopolitical transformations and new cooperation opportunities are forming. To ensure lasting peace and stability in the region, along with political agreements, the creation of institutional mechanisms is also considered important. In this regard, the idea of establishing a South Caucasus Parliamentary Assembly gains relevance in terms of strengthening trust between states, expanding dialogue at the legislative level, and forming a common regional agenda. The possibility of such a platform, its potential advantages, and the obstacles it faces require separate analysis in the context of existing realities and challenges.
Rizvan Nabiyev, head of the delegation of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly, MP, told Modern.az that the process of normalizing interstate relations with Armenia does not exclude the creation of mechanisms for establishing and institutionalizing inter-parliamentary relations on a bilateral basis at a certain stage.
There are contacts between the parliaments of Armenia and Azerbaijan:
“However, the creation of a parliamentary assembly of the South Caucasus states is a more specific issue, dependent on time, the maturation of political conditions, and political will.”
The deputy emphasized that such practices exist in the world, but for this process to begin, first and foremost, a peace agreement must be signed between Azerbaijan and Armenia:
“For this, Armenia must amend its constitution and eliminate territorial claims against Azerbaijan. After that, a peace agreement must be signed and ratified in the parliaments of both countries. After ratification, the parties will mutually exchange documents confirming the completion of internal procedures through diplomatic channels, and only then will the agreement enter into force.”
Rizvan Nabiyev spoke about the structure of the South Caucasus Parliamentary Assembly based on examples:
“As for the parliamentary assembly model, the Asian Parliamentary Assembly can be cited as an example. In this p, participating states send representatives from their parliaments according to the rules specified in the organization's Charter and within the quota. The number of representatives is mainly determined by the population. For example, the Azerbaijani delegation consists of four people, in other countries this number may differ depending on the population, but representation is ensured with a minimum of two representatives.”
Azerbaijan will have a numerical advantage in the South Caucasus Parliamentary Assembly:
“The Asian Parliamentary Assembly model can theoretically be considered for the South Caucasus when the time is right. If such an assembly is created, member states can send their deputies to that p according to their population. In other words, theoretically, the representation advantage in the South Caucasus Parliamentary Assembly belongs to our country based on numbers.
Decisions adopted in such assemblies are of a recommendatory nature, and the main goal is to promote political dialogue and cooperation. If regional integration deepens in the future, the role of these platforms may also increase.”
The creation of the South Caucasus Parliamentary Assembly is an issue that can be considered in perspective:
“Ensuring long-term peace and stability is in the interest of each country in the region. Azerbaijan pursues a consistent policy in this direction. Georgia also continues its activities towards restoring its territorial integrity and sovereignty,” R. Nabiyev concluded.
Sevinj Fataliyeva, member of the Milli Majlis Committee on International Relations and Inter-parliamentary Relations, touched upon the importance of establishing practical cooperation between Azerbaijan and Armenia:
“A new political reality is forming in the South Caucasus, and in this reality, the main role is played not by statements, but by real steps of cooperation. Regardless of bilateral or multilateral formats, the effectiveness of any cooperation depends on one basic principle. This is that this cooperation must be substantive and real, not formal.”
The deputy stated that Azerbaijan has been proving the effectiveness of this approach for years, and the most striking example of this is the Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey trilateral cooperation model.
Contacts with Armenia, which were previously impossible, are forming:
“This process is also beginning to manifest itself at the parliamentary level. Recently, meetings between the speakers of the parliaments of Azerbaijan and Armenia have taken place within the framework of international parliamentary organizations and multilateral platforms. Although these contacts are still episodic, they are of great importance in terms of the formation of parliamentary diplomacy, the opening of communication channels, and the gradual strengthening of mutual trust.”
S. Fataliyeva emphasized that the creation of institutional mechanisms such as the South Caucasus Parliamentary Assembly requires a sustainable political base, established trust, and practical cooperation experience. Without these conditions, any platform may face the risk of being formal:
“This process requires time, consistency, and the fulfillment of specific obligations. The conditions for signing a peace agreement are known, and their implementation directly depends on the political will of the Armenian side. In this context, the internal political dynamics in Armenia are also of particular importance. The results of the upcoming elections and the general political course will show to what extent Yerevan is ready to transition from the logic of confrontation to the logic of cooperation. The potential for regional cooperation in the South Caucasus is undeniable. However, the realization of this potential will depend not on the number of formats created, but on the depth of real interaction. That is why, at the current stage, the main task is, first and foremost, to establish practical cooperation between Azerbaijan and Armenia,” the deputy said.
Zaur Shukurov, member of the Committee on International Relations and Inter-parliamentary Relations, MP, stated in his statement to our website that bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Georgia have gone through a consistent development stage, rising to the level of strategic partnership, and effective cooperation continues in many areas, especially in the energy and transport sectors, which serves the interests of both states.
However, he noted that due to the long-term occupation of our lands by Armenia and the fact that this occupation is the main threat to peace and development in the region, it has not been possible to establish cooperation either bilaterally with this country or in a trilateral format between the three South Caucasus states, including inter-parliamentary cooperation.
"The main obstacle in relations between the two countries is the amendment to be made to the Armenian Constitution:
After the peace agreement is signed and ratified, diplomatic relations and cooperation will be possible, and for this, Armenia must remove obstacles and prevent revanchist-separatist forces," the deputy said.
Integration is inevitable in the context of the opening of the Zangezur corridor:
“The South Caucasus is currently experiencing a period of historical transformation. As a result of Azerbaijan's restoration of its territorial integrity, new geopolitical and geo-economic realities are emerging in the region, and steps taken towards opening communication lines, especially the Zangezur corridor, make economic integration inevitable.”
The deputy stated that if Armenian society wants development and cooperation, it must abandon ideas of ethnic hostility, separatism, and revanchism, and only then can cooperation based on mutual respect and trust be established in a trilateral format with the participation of the three South Caucasus states.
