Armenian Security Council Secretary Alen Simonyan has said Azerbaijan’s decision not to participate in the COP17 conference opening in Yerevan should not be linked to the ongoing peace process between the two countries.

Speaking to journalists at a briefing, Simonyan described Baku’s decision as its own choice and stressed that it should not be interpreted as a sign of problems in bilateral relations, according to Armenpress.

Simonyan emphasized that there is currently no tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan and that no escalation is expected.

“Just as we in Armenia face problems explaining the situation to our society, they face the same situation when it comes to mutual visits,” Simonyan said.