Armenian premier says peace with Azerbaijan ‘within reach’
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Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan stated at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly that constitutional amendments will be necessary to achieve peace if the agreement conflicts with Armenia’s Constitution.
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Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan addresses the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, on September 26, 2024. (AP)
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated on Thursday that peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan is not only achievable but also "within reach."
During the assembly's 79th session in New York, Pashinyan said, "The key messages of my previous speeches [at the UN General Assembly] were about the deadlock in achieving peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. But today, I want to say that peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan not only is possible but is within reach."
He highlighted that the two countries signed their first-ever bilateral document on August 30, concerning an agreement on regulating their joint border delimitation commissions, noting that the next step is to sign a peace agreement.
He mentioned that both he and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev have repeatedly stated that at least 80% of the draft agreement has been settled. He suggested signing the deal based on the provisions that have already been agreed upon and continuing discussions on outstanding issues afterward. “We are ready to do this right now,” said Pashinyan, adding that many important issues still need to be addressed.
Constitutional changes may be needed, though unlikely
Pashinyan noted that the agreed-upon articles in the draft agreement include provisions addressing issues like refraining from territorial claims against one another and establishing diplomatic relations, adding that once the peace agreement is signed, it will be forwarded to Armenia's Constitutional Court to ensure it aligns with the country's Constitution.
“If our Constitutional Court decides that the peace agreement with Azerbaijan is in contradiction with the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, even though our experts assure that it is not likely to happen, then we will face a specific situation where constitutional changes will be needed for the sake of achieving peace,” he added.
He stated that Armenia is prepared to grant transportation access to Azerbaijan and Turkiye, as well as other neighboring countries and partners, further stressing that Yerevan will facilitate the passage of cargo, vehicles, and people through its territory.
Relations between Baku and Yerevan have been strained since 1991 over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Azerbaijan regained control of most of the territory during a 44-day war in the fall of 2020, which concluded with a Russian-brokered peace agreement that paved the way for normalization and the demarcation of their border.
In September 2023, Azerbaijan achieved full sovereignty over Karabakh, leading to the surrender of pro-Armenian forces in the region.
