Azerbaijan invites Armenia to Cop29 climate talks

Move comes despite the countries not having formal diplomatic relations

Hikmet Hajiyev, foreign policy adviser to Azerbaijan’s president, at the Shusha Media Forum on Sunday. Pawan Singh / The National

Azerbaijan has invited Armenia to the Cop29 climate summit, a senior Azerbaijani official said on Sunday.

Hikmet Hajiyev, foreign policy adviser to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, told reporters an invitation had been extended to the country.

It comes amid an intermittent peace process to try to end a decades-long conflict between the two and when they still do not have formal diplomatic relations.

The climate talks take place in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, from November 11 to 22.

“I’m saying … this for the first time to international media,” Mr Hajiyev said at the 2nd Shusha Global Media Forum.

“The [Cop29 president-designate Mukhtar Babayev] … has sent a letter of invitation to the minister of foreign affairs of Armenia. We have sent a formal invitation.”

Mr Hajiyev said sending this letter when both countries did not have formal diplomatic relations gives an “illustration” of the “good will” of Azerbaijan and its “inclusive approach”.

Mr Hajiyev said Cop was a global endeavour and the crucial talks went beyond “beyond Armenia and Azerbaijan”. He said he did not know if a presidential contact would resolve the impasse but stated Cop is “about everybody”.

“Now it is the time of the government of Armenia to decide.”

Azerbaijan were only selected as hosts last year after months of political wrangling and were resolved partially after Armenia dropped its objection to Azerbaijan as hosts.

Tensions continue between both countries, however, despite peace talks over the decades-long conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

An Azerbaijan offensive in 2023 retook Karabakh prompting the exodus of more than 100,000 Armenians.

Any peace deal seeks to formalise the border between the two countries

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan has in the past few week been outlining more of its plans for the crucial climate talks.

The fossil fuel-rich state on the Caspian Sea launched a $1bn fund last Friday that is to be capitalised by contributions from the fossil fuel industry and aiming to support climate projects in developing countries.

The Cop29 presidency also launched the “Cop truce appeal” that aims to promote peace, dialogue and reconciliation more broadly.