Azerbaijan is ready to strike a peace deal with Armenia to end their decades-long crisis, a top official said during a visit to Argentina.
Elchin Amirbayov, Azerbaijan’s presidential representative for special assignments, confirmed that the two Caucasus neighbours are close to finalising a historic treaty to bring an end to their territorial dispute.
The official delivered his remarks during a visit last week to Argentina, during which he met with Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein and Cabinet Chief Guillermo Francos. He also met with civil society groups, including the Consejo Argentinos para las Relaciones Internacionales (CARI) think tank.
Azerbaijan and Armenia have fought two wars since the fall of the Soviet Union, primarily over the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. The conflict last peaked in September 2023, when Baku seized the area in a swift 24-hour offensive, prompting more than 100,000 Armenians to flee the territory.
Earlier this month, to acclaim from the United States and Europe, officials from both nations announced that the rivals had come to an agreement on a peace treaty.
The text includes a demand from Baku that Yerevan reform its constitution to remove any claim to Nagorno-Karabakh.
During a press briefing, Amirbayov insisted that constitutional reform on the part of Armenia is a necessary step to establishing a “sustainable and irreversible” peace.
“The Armenian constitution today contains a territorial claim to part of Azerbaijan’s sovereign territory. We would like this claim to be out of the Armenian constitution because if it is left unattended, unaddressed, it can pose a serious threat to the future of peace,” said the Azerbaijani official. “We don’t want to leave any legal grounds for any possible attempts in the future by Armenians to engage in revenge and go back to claiming our territories.”
“Now the ball is in Armenia’s court,” he affirmed.
The Armenian Embassy in Argentina, however, expressed disappointment in Amirbayov’s stance.
“It is unfortunate that Azerbaijan is currently de facto refusing to sign the agreement it had itself agreed upon with Armenia, once again speaking the language of preconditions instead of working toward lasting peace in the South Caucasus,” commented the Embassy in a statement to the Times.
“Nevertheless, we remain hopeful that Azerbaijan will demonstrate political will and sign the agreement regulating relations between the two countries in the foreseeable future.”
In addition to Armenian constitutional reform, Amirbayov detailed that a peace deal would require the dissolution of third-party mediators, including the “Minsk Process,” a conflict resolution framework established by the Organisation of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
European armed forces patrolling the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia would also need to leave the area, said the official.
“We strongly believe that the future of our relationship is in the hands of Armenia and Azerbaijan, and there is no need for any third party in this affair and there is no need for third-party forces,” he said.
Amirbayov’s visit to Argentina also focused on trade talks. He expressed Azerbaijan’s hope to strengthen its economic relations with Argentina, particularly through agricultural and economic trade.
The official argued Azerbaijan’s conflict with Armenia does not have to affect the relationship that either nation can have with the Latin American country.
Argentina is home to the third-largest Armenian diaspora in the world and its ties with Buenos Aires run deeper.
“I think Argentina has an excellent relationship with Armenia, but that does not mean, or should not mean, that Argentina cannot have excellent relations with Azerbaijan,” said Amirbayov.
by Melissa Canales
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