Erich von Tobel, a member of Switzerland’s National Council and initiator of the country’s peace initiative for Nagorno-Karabakh, stated that the Swiss government does not consider the Karabakh issue closed, Pastinfo reports.
He co-chairs the committee established under this initiative, which includes 19 parliamentarians from various political groups.
“For us, the most important point is that, from the Swiss government’s perspective, the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh is not closed. We aim to keep it on the international agenda and propose a solution that ensures the right of return for the people of Karabakh,” he said during a speech in Armenia.
Von Tobel recalled visiting Yerevan in 2024, where he met with forcibly displaced Karabakh Armenians to understand what happened in 2023, their expectations, and views on resolving the crisis.
“They clearly proposed a roundtable dialogue format between Azerbaijan and Artsakh, under international oversight,” he said.
Following that visit, Von Tobel pledged to act upon returning to Switzerland. In October 2024, he submitted a petition to the Swiss Foreign Ministry titled “Peace Forum for Nagorno-Karabakh: Supporting Armenian Return.”
The initiative gained majority support in parliament and has since become part of official decisions.
Von Tobel said the initiative passed Switzerland’s National Council in December 2024 and was approved by the Council of States in March 2025.
As a result, the Federal Council received a mandate to implement the initiative, he said.
In May 2025, a commission was established with 19 party representatives under the name “Swiss Peace Initiative for Nagorno-Karabakh.” Its mission is to assist the government in promoting a peaceful resolution to the Karabakh conflict.
The commission began holding high-level meetings in cities including Washington, London, Berlin, and Geneva within the framework of the UN Human Rights Council.
“All these efforts share one goal: to bring the Karabakh issue back to international attention,” Von Tobel emphasized.
He noted that although the prevailing view in Armenia may be that the issue is settled, their position differs.
“As long as the displaced have not returned home, the issue is not closed, and should not be. Their return is an inseparable part of sustainable peace,” he said.
Von Tobel also noted that during the visit, they met with Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan and had a meaningful and emotional discussion.
“He told us: keep going. And I promise today, we will try to do all we can. The case is not closed,” the Swiss parliamentarian concluded.
On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale attack on Artsakh, subjecting the region to massive shelling. On September 20, Artsakh authorities accepted a Russian-brokered ceasefire deal, agreeing to disarm and dissolve the Republic. The attack claimed 223 lives, including 20 civilians, six of them children. On September 24, forced displacement began. Over 100,000 people fled to Armenia. According to reports, only around 20 ethnic Armenians remained in Karabakh, of whom 11 later returned to Armenia, one died, and another was arrested.
