French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz joined the talks in Moldova on June 1President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan has opted out of talks with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan scheduled to take place on Friday in Granada, Spain, Azerbaijani media reported.
Aliyev and Pashinyan were scheduled to discuss normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan on the margins of a European Union summit with the participation of the European Council President Charles Michel, President Emmanuel Macron of France and Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
According to Azerbaijani press reports, Aliyev opted out of the talk after France and Germany rejected Baku’s request to include President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey in the meeting.
The same group met in Moldova’s capital Chisinau in June.
Azerbaijan has also refused to take part in any talks that include the participation of France.
Turkish media outlets also reported that Erdogan has decided to cancel his trip to Granada.
Pashinyan, on Wednesday, lamented that Aliyev will not attend the meeting, but confirmed that he plans to travel to Granada.
Despite his assertions last week that no documents would be signed during the talks in Spain, Pashinyan on Wednesday said that there was a high possibility that “a crucial document” was going to be signed, without providing specifics.
“We have been confirming our visit to Granada until the very last moment, even today,” Pashinyan told lawmakers in parliament. “Furthermore, we had a very constructive and optimistic outlook, because we believed that there was a chance to sign a document of crucial significance. We were assessing that likelihood even as recently as this morning.”
“Of course, we regret that the meeting will not take place, but we hope that the framework document, which is on the table, will be signed at an opportune time. I am ready to sign that agreement,” added Pashinyan.
Again Pashinyan directed his anger toward the opposition, which has accused the prime minister of preparing to make more concessions.
Pashinyan scoffed at what he called the “puppet opposition,” saying their points were moot, since the meeting with Aliyev has been canceled.