Azerbaijan diplomatic tours of Karabakh and Zangezur

A 150-member diplomatic delegation representing 58 countries and nine international organizations is conducting a multi-day tour of reconstruction sites and infrastructure in Azerbaijan’s Karabakh and East Zangezur regions. The tour includes visits to Khankendi, Shusha, Kalbajar, and Aghdara, with stops at various restoration projects, hydroelectric stations, and cultural sites.

During the visit to the Ganjasar and Khudavang monasteries, Hikmet Hajiyev, Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department for the President of Azerbaijan, emphasized the sites as part of the “ancient Caucasian Albanian Christian heritage.” He stated that previous interventions during years of occupation compromised the architectural authenticity of these monuments. Azerbaijani officials asserted a commitment to preserving all historical and religious monuments within the territory.

While officials and members of the Milli Majlis suggest these visits allow for factual observation of site conditions, critics have expressed concerns that the state-organized tour may be used to “reframe the historical identity of Armenian Christian monuments through a ‘Caucasian Albanian’ narrative.”