Foreign Minister urges strong political will for final peace step

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan has stressed that despite decades of conflict, a genuine opportunity has emerged to end hostility in the region and establish lasting peace. However, “Baku is introducing new artificial conditions,” he stated during an interview with one of Brazil’s most influential newspapers, Folha, as part of his official visit to Brazil.

“In Armenia, we see this opportunity and are fully committed to the peace agenda. We have managed to finalize the draft agreement together with our Azerbaijani counterparts.

This peace treaty outlines several key provisions which, if signed, ratified, and implemented, could provide a solid foundation for future steps. I am mainly referring to the mutual recognition of territorial integrity. We recognize this integrity based on the borders that existed between our countries at the time of the Soviet Union’s dissolution in 1991. This is of vital importance. We also commit to refraining from the use of force and from interfering in each other's internal affairs, among other agreements.

We are ready to immediately begin consultations on the place and date for the signing.

However, unfortunately, we observe that Azerbaijan is introducing various new — I would say artificial — preconditions, which complicates the signing of the agreement and the institutionalization of peace, so to speak.

We have almost reached the goal. We just need a bit more political will — strong political will — to meet and sign the agreement,” he added.

Mirzoyan also recalled that Armenia had proposed the unblocking of transport routes, particularly by reopening the Soviet-era railway, and had suggested establishing arms control and monitoring mechanisms to address Azerbaijan’s stated concerns.

“We are ready to sign the agreement without delay. But what we are hearing from Azerbaijan does not give the impression that they are ready. Unfortunately, as I mentioned, they continue to introduce new preconditions,” the Foreign Minister stated.

On March 13, official Yerevan and Baku announced that the draft peace agreement had been finalized and that the negotiation phase was complete. Despite this declaration, the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister later emphasized that in the next phase, Armenia must remove territorial claims against Azerbaijan from its Constitution and acknowledge the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group and its remnants.