- Armenia, Azerbaijan say they have finalized text of a treaty
- The two have been locked in conflict for almost 40 years
- Azerbaijan says Armenia must change constitution before treaty signed
Armenian and Azerbaijani officials have announced that they have agreed on the text of a peace agreement, marking a significant step toward ending nearly four decades of conflict. This unexpected breakthrough comes after years of stalled and often tense negotiations.
Azerbaijan confirmed the success of the peace talks. “We note with satisfaction that the negotiations on the text of the draft Agreement on Peace and the Establishment of Interstate Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia have been concluded,” Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
However, hurdles remain. Azerbaijan also said Armenia’s constitution must “eliminate the claims against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan,” as a prerequisite to allow for the signing of the peace treaty.
“We are ready to continue the bilateral dialogue on these and other issues related to the normalization process between the two countries,” the statement said.
Armenia’s leader said Thursday there had been “no discussions” regarding Baku’s demand that Armenia amend its constitution, Armenpress reported.
The two nations, both former Soviet republics, have fought multiple wars since the late 1980s, when Nagorno-Karabakh, a region within Azerbaijan with a predominantly ethnic Armenian population at the time, attempted to break away with Armenia’s support. The agreement signals a potential end to one of the most prolonged disputes in the South Caucasus.
Header image: Maxim Shemetov / POOL/AFP
