On Thursday, Azerbaijan and Armenia announced that they had concluded negotiations on a peace treaty that would end nearly four decades of conflict between the two Caucasus countries.
The agreement, which aims to normalize relations between the two nations, would be a significant breakthrough in a region of high geopolitical tension, where Russia, the European Union, the United States, and Türkiye compete for influence.
The conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia has revolved around the Nagorno-Karabakh region, predominantly inhabited by Armenians, which was controlled by Armenian separatist sectors for decades, despite being internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.
El motivo principal del conflicto es el área de Nagorno-Karabaj
The two countries had already fought two wars over control of the region: one at the end of the Soviet Union and another in 2020, and the situation escalated again in September 2023, when Azerbaijan regained full control of Nagorno-Karabakh in a 24-hour lightning offensive. This action prompted the flight of more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians to Armenia.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister, Jeyhun Bayramov, confirmed that Armenia had accepted Azerbaijan's proposals on the two most difficult points of the peace agreement.
Armenia's Foreign Ministry also confirmed that negotiations on the draft peace agreement had concluded, and Armenian Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, described this development as an "important event," expressing that Armenia is willing to discuss the place and date for the signing of the peace treaty.
El primer ministro armenio celebró la existencia de un acuerdo de paz
Among the key points that remained unsolved until that moment were the "non-implementation of third-country forces" along the common border and the mutual withdrawal of legal claims before international judicial bodies.
Both nations have faced each other on various occasions in international courts, such as the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, over allegations of human rights violations during the conflicts.
One of Azerbaijan's main demands is that Armenia amend its constitution to remove any reference to the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh and territorial claims over this region.
Azerbaijan considers that references to Karabakh in the Armenian constitution are incompatible with the country's sovereignty.
Miles de cristianos armenios fueron desplazados de la región de Nagorno Karabaj
Azerbaijan's Minister Bayramov indicated that any constitutional amendment by Armenia would be a necessary step before the signing of the peace agreement, although this would require a referendum in Armenia, which could pose a significant obstacle to the implementation of the agreement.
France's President, Emmanuel Macron, expressed his support for the peace announcement, highlighting that there were no longer obstacles to the signing of the peace treaty, which would pave the way for lasting peace in the South Caucasus.
However, tensions persist, as Armenia criticized Azerbaijan for making a unilateral declaration instead of a joint statement. This reflects the complexity of relations between the two nations, despite the progress.
Macron expresó su apoyo al tratado de paz en nombre de Francia, que históricamente ha mostrado su apoyo a Armenia
In addition to the disputes over the constitution, the conflict has also caused a rift between Armenia and Russia, its traditional ally. Armenia accused Russia of not providing the necessary support during the 2023 conflict, which led Yerevan to suspend its participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), led by Moscow.
This lack of support from Russia has led Armenia to move closer to the West, while Azerbaijan, meanwhile, has further strengthened its relations with Türkiye.
The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh has been a constant topic in international negotiations, with actors like Russia, the United States, and the European Union attempting to mediate the dispute.
Bayramov destacó que es un requisito esencial para el tratado de paz que Armenia modifique su constitución
