ZURICH: The Peace Forum organized by the Swiss Parliament is facing criticism for being one-sided. It has been accused of not addressing the plight of nearly one million Azerbaijanis who were ethnically cleansed from their homes and forced to live as refugees. Additionally, the forum is criticized for ignoring the destruction of Azerbaijani mosques and cultural heritage sites during thirty years of Armenian occupation, while focusing solely on the damage to Armenian cultural heritage and the plight of Armenian settlers.

According to Trend News Agency, Rachel Avraham, a prominent political analyst and journalist who is the founder and CEO of the Dona Gracia Center for Diplomacy, has echoed this critique. Her article, “Swiss Peace Forum on Karabakh Must Be Two-Sided,” was published on the website of the US Foreign Policy Association based in New York.

In her article, Avraham expresses concern about Switzerland’s intentions to host the Karabakh Peace Forum, which aims to discuss the dire situation of Armenians
displaced during the Second Karabakh War and subsequent military actions. She highlights that the Foreign Relations Committee of the Swiss Federal Assembly has passed a resolution to hold the forum in the coming year to initiate open dialogue between the government of Azerbaijan and the Karabakh Armenians.

Avraham argues that this approach raises questions about Switzerland’s supposed neutrality on the world stage. She insists that for Switzerland to be considered impartial mediators, they must address the plight of refugees on both sides and the destruction of cultural heritage sites on both sides. Without this balance, Switzerland’s impartiality is questionable.

She emphasizes that the Swiss Parliament should consider the political and legal consequences faced by over a million Azerbaijanis displaced during the First Karabakh War. Furthermore, they should discuss the impact of the Armenian occupation and consider Azerbaijan’s efforts in this context.