By Paul Vartan Sookiasian
The Swiss government is now mandated to host a “Peace Forum for Nagorno-Karabakh” following the passage of a bill in the parliament’s upper house, the Council of States, concluding a multi-step legislative process that has unfolded over the past half year.
Modeled on a similar forum Switzerland organized for Ukraine, the Peace Forum aims to provide a unique platform for dialogue between representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan. The motion’s stated objective is to “ensure the safe, collective, and dignified return of the forcibly displaced Armenian population to their historical homeland.”
The National Assembly, the parliament’s lower house, already approved the proposal in December. At the time, its co-rapporteur, Nicolas Walder, told CivilNet: “The international community wants those people to be able to return home if they choose. Nothing is moving, and we see that time is working against them.”
With lower house approval secured, the bill advanced to the upper house, where it passed in committee in January before securing full approval in today’s vote.
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis appeared before parliament ahead of the vote, as he had before the lower house vote, urging members to reject the bill. He cited multiple concerns, emphasizing that Switzerland recognizes Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and therefore does not recognize Nagorno-Karabakh or its representatives. Cassis also warned that the forum would be unacceptable to Baku and that passage of the bill, despite good intentions, could have negative repercussions.
To address these concerns, an amendment was proposed to replace the invitation to Nagorno-Karabakh’s representatives with Armenian government officials. However, this amendment was rejected.
Cassis also suggested that passing the bill could harm Switzerland’s interests, possibly referencing the country’s economic ties with Azerbaijan.
Despite these warnings, the bill passed by a vote of 29 to 12, with two abstentions. The Swiss executive branch, the Federal Council, must now organize the forum within a year, even though it did not support the bill’s passage.
Gegham Stepanyan, former Human Rights Defender of Nagorno-Karabakh, welcomed the decision, telling CivilNet that it sends a clear message: “Switzerland does not view the Nagorno-Karabakh issue as settled and refuses to normalize the forced displacement of Armenians.” He said the motion is of particular importance due to “the regrettable absence of genuine dialogue between Armenian and Azerbaijani authorities concerning the return of the people of Artsakh.”
The right of return for forcibly displaced persons is a fundamental principle of international law, upheld by numerous legal precedents and international declarations. In November 2023, the International Court of Justice ruled in favor of this right in the case of Nagorno-Karabakh, shortly after more than 100,000 Armenians were forcibly displaced from the region by an Azerbaijani military incursion.
