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Akbar Novruz

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Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has described Azerbaijani Presidential Aide Hikmet Hajiyev's recent visit to Armenia as an important step in maintaining momentum in the normalization process between the two countries, AzerNEWS reports.

Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Pashinyan said he had instructed Armen Grigoryan to consult with his Azerbaijani counterpart on the need for a meeting following Armenia's parliamentary elections.

"I instructed Armen Grigoryan to discuss with his Azerbaijani counterpart whether there was a need for a meeting or not," Pashinyan said.

According to the Armenian prime minister, both Armenian and Azerbaijani expert circles had identified trends that could potentially lead to heightened tensions, making continued dialogue necessary.

"We observed certain trends, both within Azerbaijani expert circles and within Armenian expert circles, that could have led to an escalation of the situation. As is our responsibility, we are engaged in managing the situation," he stated.

Hajiyev met Grigoryan in the Armenian town of Dilijan on June 14. The visit marked the first working trip by the Azerbaijani presidential aide to Armenia and the second visit by a senior Azerbaijani official since the two countries initialled a peace agreement in August 2025.

The meeting took place one week after Armenia's June 7 parliamentary elections and on the same day the country's Central Election Commission published the final election results.

Commenting on the decision to hold the meeting in Armenia rather than a third country, Pashinyan said the format reflected progress in the peace process and efforts by both sides to manage potential risks.

"This demonstrates that in terms of the peace process we are moving forward and managing the risks that could have arisen," he said.

The Armenian leader also revealed that preserving diplomatic momentum immediately after the elections had been a priority for his government.

"Immediately after the elections, it was important for us not to lose the momentum of the peace process," Pashinyan told parliament a day earlier, adding that the meeting reaffirmed the commitment of both Armenia and Azerbaijan to the peace agenda.

Pashinyan further addressed concerns regarding public attitudes toward territorial issues, arguing that views rejecting Armenia's internationally recognized territory of 29,743 square kilometres do not enjoy broad support within Armenian society. He also suggested that a considerable share of opposition votes in the recent election had been secured through vote-buying, although he did not provide specific evidence for the claim.

The meeting between Hajiyev and Grigoryan is viewed as another indication that direct contacts between Baku and Yerevan continue despite political developments in Armenia, with both sides seeking to maintain dialogue following the initialling of the peace agreement last year.