YEREVAN—On September 26, a meeting between Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to take place in New York. The meeting, confirmed by Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Ayhan Hajizade, comes at Blinken’s initiative and is scheduled to coincide with the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The trilateral talks aim to address the ongoing tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan, exacerbated by the ethnic cleansing and forced displacement of Armenians from Artsakh one year ago.
The meeting is an opportunity for Armenia and Azerbaijan to engage in dialogue under U.S. mediation. Blinken has actively sought to bridge the two sides, and this latest attempt comes at a time when bilateral relations are more strained than ever. Blinken’s role is crucial for the U.S., as it seeks to play a more active role in the region, especially given the influence of other regional powers like Turkey and Russia.
Notably, FM Mirzoyan has accompanied Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his visit to the United States. During his last visit to New York, Mirzoyan addressed the rights and security of the people of Artsakh, but recent developments have cast doubt on the Armenian administration’s commitment to this agenda. Following the events of September 19, 2023, discussions surrounding Artsakh have reportedly been sidelined by the current administration in its negotiations with Azerbaijan.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev chose to forgo attendance at the U.N. General Assembly, focusing instead on domestic matters. While direct negotiations on a treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan have been ongoing, Aliyev says the Armenian government has been slow to respond. In a speech delivered during the first session of Azerbaijan’s 7th Milli Majlis (National Assembly) on September 24, Aliyev accused Armenia of delaying the peace process and taking 70 days to respond to Azerbaijan’s latest draft treaty, which he says is as an indication that Armenia is stalling for time rather than seeking genuine resolution. “Such a primitive and inadequate step, frankly speaking, was unexpected,” Aliyev stated.
Aliyev also expressed concerns about “revanchist forces” in Armenia, suggesting that the Armenian authorities harbor ambitions that threaten Azerbaijan. Aliyev called for the ratification of border demarcation agreements signed in August and declared bolstering military capabilities as Azerbaijan’s top priority. “Armenia’s revanchist tendencies force us to keep this sector under constant scrutiny,” he stated, while simultaneously criticizing Armenia’s military acquisitions and exercises with foreign powers.
In response to Aliyev’s claims, PM Pashinyan has previously pointed out that Azerbaijan has also engaged in significant arms purchases from various countries, including several EU member states. Pashinyan questioned the narrative surrounding military support, asking, “Why can Azerbaijan obtain weapons from Pakistan while Armenia cannot acquire them from India?”
Adding further complexity to the ongoing threat to Armenia’s sovereignty, during his speech at the U.N. General Assembly on September 22, Pashinyan focused largely on optimism for the future and emphasized his party’s slogan, “There is a future.” However, his failure to mention Armenia’s immediate security concerns, including the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh and the fate of Armenian prisoners of war held in Azerbaijan, drew domestic criticism.
Pashinyan’s speech was centered on the need for positive dialogue and forward-looking solutions. “It may sound strange, but the most important thing we can do for the future is to create positive conversations and focus on the opportunities to build their foundations,” he said, reflecting his administration’s belief that optimism should guide political decision-making.
During his visit to the United States, PM Pashinyan also met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the Turkic House in New York. This meeting, held within the framework of the U.N. General Assembly, was intended to further Armenia-Turkey normalization efforts. According to official statements, the two leaders discussed the steps taken so far in the process and expressed their commitment to continue dialogue without preconditions.
However, the meeting has sparked controversy among opposition figures in Armenia. MP Gegham Manukyan, a member of the “Hayastan” opposition faction, criticized Pashinyan’s decision to meet Erdoğan at the Turkic House, calling it an act of submission. He argued that the venue is symbolic of Turkey’s anti-Armenian policies. “The Turkic House serves as one of the main headquarters of Western propaganda, including anti-Armenian propaganda, in Turkey,” Manukyan stated, noting Turkey’s continued denial of the Armenian Genocide and its military support for Azerbaijan during the 2020 war in Artsakh.
Manukyan also highlighted the presence of Turkish intelligence officials, including the head of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Ibrahim Kalin, at the meeting. Manukyan suggested that the meeting was less about genuine dialogue and more about Erdoğan asserting his influence over Armenia. “Pashinyan’s willingness to meet Erdoğan at the Turkic House, especially in the presence of Turkey’s security officials, shows how Armenia’s leadership is willing to overlook critical national security issues in exchange for symbolic gestures,” Manukyan said.
Manukyan noted that the Turkic House has been embroiled in corruption scandals, with U.S. law enforcement investigating the building’s permits and funding sources. He added that the meeting reflected poorly on Armenia’s international standing. “Instead of raising key issues like the fate of Armenian prisoners held in Baku, Pashinyan seems more interested in symbolic gestures,” Manukyan said.
Turkish studies scholar and opposition figure Varujan Geghamyan also voiced strong criticism of the meeting. “In 1920, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, articulated the need to dismantle what he referred to as the ‘Caucasian wall,’ a term that pointedly identified Armenia as both an obstacle to Turkish expansion and a perceived security threat. Although Atatürk and his allies did not achieve their objectives at the time, the political ambitions behind his words have not diminished; they have merely awaited an opportune moment to resurface,” Geghamyan wrote on Facebook.
“That moment appears to have arrived in September 2024,” Geghamyan continued, claiming that a symbolic “handover” of influence has taken place, with Armenian security officials relinquishing their nation’s defensive posture. This not only undermines Armenia’s territorial integrity but also enables Turkey to pursue its ambitions for regional dominance, according to Geghamyan.
Geghamyan said that Erdogan’s 2021 book, titled A Fairer World is Possible, serves as a manifesto promoting Turkey’s supremacy in the region and across the world. “This book now finds its place within the corridors of Armenia’s de facto government,” Geghamyan wrote, entrenching Turkey’s influence over Armenia’s political landscape.
According to Geghamyan, the Turkic House is a hub for Turkish diplomacy and a platform for anti-Armenian narratives. It is a key site for disseminating propaganda that undermines recognition of the Armenian Genocide and complicates the already delicate issues surrounding Artsakh.
In light of these historical and geopolitical dynamics, Pashinyan’s engagement with Erdogan is not merely a diplomatic meeting, according to Geghamyan. “It is a troubling concession that threatens to compromise Armenia’s sovereignty and its historical narrative. Such actions must be scrutinized and condemned, as they represent a retreat from the principles of self-determination and security that are vital for Armenia’s future,” he concluded.
Author information
The post Pashinyan meets with Erdoğan ahead of foreign ministers’ meeting in New York appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.