The key facts

  • Pashinyan intends to attend COP31 in Antalya on November 9–20
  • The invitation was conveyed by Erdogan at a meeting in New York in September
  • The leaders' summit is scheduled for November 11–12

Visit plans and context of the invitation

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Thursday that he plans to visit the Turkish province of Antalya to take part in the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31). “Yes, I plan to go to Antalya to participate in COP,” he told journalists at a briefing, as reported by the state agency Armenpress citing Anadolu.

Diplomatic background and conference format

The invitation to Pashinyan was extended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during their meeting in New York in September, where, among other things, efforts to normalize relations between the two countries were discussed. The conference itself will take place from November 9 to 20 and will bring together world leaders, experts and civil society representatives to discuss international measures to combat climate change; the summit of heads of state and government is scheduled for November 11–12. The Armenian prime minister's participation in the summit in Turkey will be a notable element against the backdrop of the ongoing dialogue between Yerevan and Ankara, however the publication does not say whether a bilateral meeting is planned on the sidelines of the conference.