Armenia Does Not Want to Agree to Azerbaijan’s Peace Demands

Armenia expressed disagreement with Azerbaijan’s demands concerning certain preconditions for signing a peace agreement. This was announced by Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan during an interview with TVP World, according to RIA Novosti.

For the final signing of the peace treaty, Azerbaijan insists on amendments to Armenia’s constitution, arguing that it contains direct calls for the unification of Karabakh with Armenia. According to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, peace between Baku and Yerevan can be achieved if changes are made to Armenia’s constitution. In January 2024, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that the country needs a new constitution "to ensure the viability of the country in new geopolitical conditions." Later, he clarified that provisions of the Declaration of Independence, which underpins the Armenian constitution, threaten the country with war.

The Armenian Foreign Minister reported that a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan has already been initialed, with the text agreed upon in March. Yerevan is ready to sign it as soon as possible.

"The Azerbaijani side is putting forward some preconditions, which we do not agree with. Nevertheless, even before the final signing ceremony, processes are underway or could be underway until its conclusion. For example, we discussed how to be more tolerant toward each other, or even more — the prospects for cooperation on international platforms," Mirzoyan said.

In early August, following a meeting in Washington between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, a declaration was adopted regarding the initialing by Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers of a mutually agreed-upon text of an agreement to establish peace and interstate relations between the two countries. Yerevan also agreed to cooperate with the U.S. and third parties to create the "Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity," linking Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic through Armenian territory.

The preamble of Armenia’s current constitution states that it is based on the Declaration of Independence, adopted on August 23, 1990, including "based on the joint resolution of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR and the National Council of Nagorno-Karabakh from December 1, 1989, 'On the Reunification of the Armenian SSR and Nagorno-Karabakh'." It also states that "the Republic of Armenia advocates for international recognition of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 in the Ottoman Turkey and Western Armenia."

On September 30, 2024, the Armenian Constitutional Court recognized some provisions of the 1990 Declaration of Independence as a threat to "constitutional dualism," which, in the judges’ view, could turn the document into "a parent devouring its child." Several days earlier, the court also deemed the provision regarding the activities of delimitation commissions with Azerbaijan constitutional. The opposition considers the declaration a foundational document of the state.