Azerbaijan Calls for Constitutional Reform in Armenia
Azerbaijan Calls for Normalization of Relations with Armenia After Ending 30-Year Occupation
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has stated that with Azerbaijan ending its 30-year occupation by Armenia, there is now an opportunity for the normalization of relations between the two countries and the return of peace to the South Caucasus.
Speaking at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Bayramov emphasized that for the normalization process to move forward, Armenia must remove territorial claims against Azerbaijan from its Constitution and accept the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group.
Bayramov noted that Azerbaijan had proposed to close the page of hostility with Armenia in 2021, but this call went unanswered for about a year. However, discussions between the two countries began in October of the following year, leading to the drafting of a peace agreement by Azerbaijan and its presentation to Armenia.
The negotiations took about two and a half years, and just recently, an agreement was reached on the text of the peace agreement. Bayramov stressed that one of the critical factors that must be resolved is Armenia’s constitutional claims against Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, stating that changing the Armenian Constitution is a non-negotiable requirement for a peace deal to be possible.
Furthermore, Bayramov criticized the OSCE Minsk Group, co-chaired by the US, France, and Russia, for failing to achieve any results over the past three decades. With the Karabakh issue now resolved and recognized by Armenia, Bayramov questioned the need to keep the Minsk Group alive and demanded its formal dissolution.
Overall, the end of Azerbaijan’s occupation by Armenia presents a significant opportunity for the two countries to move towards peace and stability in the region. The normalization of relations and the resolution of critical issues, such as territorial claims and the dissolution of the Minsk Group, will be crucial for achieving lasting peace in the South Caucasus.
