Question: Can we say that the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process is pushed back?

Anna Naghdalyan: Azerbaijan has inflicted a heavy damage to the peace process back in 2016, and its consequences have not been completely overcome. During the last two years we have achieved certain positive steps: the number of ceasefire violations was reduced, an agreement was reached to prepare the populations for peace and the first step of it was the programme of exchange of media representatives.

The threats and hate speech, warmongering statements voiced by the Azerbaijani leadership during recent months, and the recent escalation which took place amid those statements, brought the peace process back to the point of April 2016.

Question: Can we speak about humanitarian exchanges in the future?

Anna Naghdalyan: Previously, we reached an agreement to prepare the populations for peace. However, the recent escalation and the aggressive statements of Azerbaijani leadership have demonstrated that not the Azerbaijani authorities should prepare their people for peace, but, on the contrary, the Azerbaijani people should prepare their leadership for peace.