Armenia and Azerbaijan Finalize Peace Agreement, Await Signing

The foreign ministries of Armenia and Azerbaijan have confirmed that the peace agreement is finalized, with all provisions agreed upon, Orda.kz reports.

According to the Armenian Foreign Ministry, Armenia has expressed readiness to coordinate the timing and location of the signing with Azerbaijan.

Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry stated that a key condition for signing the agreement is constitutional amendments in Armenia to eliminate any claims to Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

At the same time, we emphasize the need for the formal dissolution of the outdated and ineffective OSCE Minsk Group and its associated structures, the Ministry stated.

The OSCE Minsk Group was established in 1992 to facilitate a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The group was co-chaired by Russia, the United States, and France, with additional members including Belarus, Germany, Italy, Türkiye, Finland, Sweden, Azerbaijan, and Armenia.

According to Interfax, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that the last two agreed points concern issues arising after the agreement takes effect.

These include:

• Refraining from mutual lawsuits in international courts
  
• Prohibiting the deployment of third-party forces along the border

The agreement also contains a provision that actions contradicting the logic of peace should not take place. I would like to note that the draft agreement does not contain a provision that applies only to Armenia or Azerbaijan — all provisions apply equally to both sides, Pashinyan said.

The peace agreement follows the 2023 conflict resolution, in which Azerbaijan regained control over Nagorno-Karabakh, ending decades of territorial disputes.

Original Author: Oksana Matvienko