Armenia and Azerbaijan finalize peace deal to resolve conflict

Europe, News March 14, 2025 , by IRIA No Comments

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Armenian and Azerbaijani officials announced a breakthrough in their decades-long conflict, confirming that they have agreed on the text of a peace agreement. The development came after years of intermittent negotiations and hostilities between the two nations.

Armenia’s Foreign Ministry released a statement on March 13, 2025, that it had finalized its side of the peace agreement. “The peace agreement is ready for signing. The Republic of Armenia is ready to start consultations with the Republic of Azerbaijan on the date and place of signing the agreement,” the ministry stated.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry issued a similar statement, confirming that negotiations on the draft “Agreement on Peace and the Establishment of Interstate Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia” had been successfully concluded.

However, the actual signing of the agreement remains uncertain, as Azerbaijan has set a condition that Armenia amend its constitution. According to Baku, the Armenian constitution contains implicit territorial claims that must be removed before the treaty is signed.

Armenia denies these allegations, but Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has acknowledged the need for constitutional reform and has proposed a referendum on the issue, though no date has been set.

History of dispute

The dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan goes back to the late 1980s when Nagorno-Karabakh, a region within Azerbaijan with a predominantly ethnic Armenian population at the time, attempted to break away with Armenia’s support. This led to a series of wars and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people.

After years of intermittent fighting, Azerbaijan regained full control of Karabakh in September 2023 through military action. This offensive resulted in the mass exodus of nearly all 100,000 ethnic Armenians from the region into Armenia, significantly altering the geopolitical landscape.

*^{An Azerbaijani soldier and police officer talk as they stand guard at the Kalbajar district in Azerbaijan. (Image Credit: Reuters/via TRT)}*

The two nations had expressed a willingness to formalize peace, but negotiations remained strained due to lingering animosities and deep-seated distrust.

Challenges to implementation

While the finalization of the agreement’s text marks a critical step forward, the path to peace remains complex. The two countries share a 1,000-kilometer heavily militarized and closed border. Tensions remain high, with rhetoric from both sides reflecting mutual distrust.

In January, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev accused Armenia of posing a “fascist” threat that needed to be eliminated. Armenian leaders condemned these remarks, interpreting them as a potential justification for renewed hostilities. Despite such tensions, diplomatic engagement has continued, culminating in the agreement now on the table.

Plans for lasting peace

While a signed agreement would mark a formal end to hostilities, implementing peace will require sustained diplomatic efforts, economic cooperation, and mutual trust-building. The international community, including regional powers and global institutions, is expected to play a key role in facilitating post-conflict reconciliation and ensuring compliance with the terms of the agreement.

For now, Armenia and Azerbaijan stand at the threshold of a new era. If successfully signed and implemented, this agreement could not only end one of the longest-running conflicts in the post-Soviet space but also pave the way for regional stability and cooperation in the South Caucasus.