Karabakh Armenian delegation in Bern – hopes for Swiss Peace Initiative

Press release, May 4, 2026

On April 30, leading representatives of Nagorno Karabakh met with members of parliament at the Federal Palace in Bern for an exchange of information. The Armenian delegation views the proposal for an international peace forum, initiated by Switzerland, as an important step toward lasting peace.

In September 2023, Azerbaijan attacked Nagorno Karabakh after a nine-month siege and expelled the Armenians living there. The International Court of Justice has ruled that they have the right to return. In October 2023, the European Parliament passed a resolution stating that dialogue “between Azerbaijan, Armenia and representatives of the Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians is the only sustainable way forward.”

Swiss Peace Initiative

In March 2025 the Swiss parliament passed Motion 24.4259 that mandates the Swiss government with convening a peace forum to negotiate the collective return of the Armenian population. The members of parliament represented on the Swiss Peace Initiative for Nagorno-Karabakh Committee are campaigning for the Federal Council to fulfill this mandate.

Karabakh Armenians in the Federal Palace

On April 30, a delegation of Armenian leaders from Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) briefed a group of 12 Swiss lawmakers in the Swiss parliament building in the capital, Bern. The delegation was led by Ashot Danielyan, the Speaker of the Artsakh National Assembly and Acting President of the Republic of Artsakh. Mr. Danielyan affirmed his people’s readiness to take part in a peace forum to resolve the Nagorno Karabakh conflict through negotiations – not the use of force.

Kontakt für Rückfragen: Erich Vontobel, Nationalrat EDU, +41 79 459 90 61 Stefan Müller-Altermatt, Nationalrat Die Mitte, +41 76 332 15 26 Weitere Informationen: www.swisspeacekarabakh.com   Für alle Anfragen: contact@swisspeacekarabakh.com