In a significant show of international support, members of the United Kingdom Parliament have issued a joint statement endorsing the Swiss Peace Initiative on Nagorno-Karabakh. The statement, released by MP Jim Shannon (DUP) of the House of Commons and Lord David Alton of the House of Lords, reflects the views of more than 110 British parliamentarians who are part of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on International Freedom of Religion or Belief (APPG FoRB).
The Swiss-led initiative, ratified by Switzerland’s parliament in March 2025, seeks to establish an international peace forum to facilitate open dialogue between Azerbaijan and the forcibly displaced Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh. The Swiss Federal Council, the country’s executive body, is mandated to convene the forum within one year. The effort is modeled on a similar platform Switzerland hosted for the war in Ukraine.
In their statement, the UK parliamentarians emphasized the need to ensure the right of return for displaced Armenians, the protection of fundamental human rights including religious freedom, and the preservation of Armenian cultural and spiritual heritage. They noted:
“The restoration of security, dignity, and stability for all communities in Nagorno-Karabakh is vital not only for humanitarian reasons but also for regional peace in an area of rising geopolitical and economic significance.”
To support the implementation of the initiative, an inter-party parliamentary committee composed of 19 Swiss lawmakers was established on May 26, 2025, in Bern. The committee is tasked with advancing the necessary international mechanisms to fulfill the objectives of the Swiss Parliament’s binding resolution.
Azerbaijan has rejected the initiative and announced it will not participate.
