Consultations with Azerbaijan on inking peace treaty ongoing, says Armenian official

Armenia is conducting consultations with Azerbaijan for the signing of the peace treaty, Secretary of the Security Council Armen Grigoryan has said.

“We are now conducting consultations through a diplomatic channel to sign the peace agreement with Azerbaijan. We continue to work to sign the peace agreement because its text has been finalized and it only needs to be signed,” he told reporters.

Azerbaijan has made preconditions for signing the treaty: the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group and Armenian constitutional changes. 

Grigoryan reiterated that Armenia doesn’t mind dissolving the OSCE MG. He said Armenia is ready to sign the peace treaty and the OSCE MG dissolution request at the same time. Armenia’s stance regarding the Constitution is well-known, he added.

Asked to comment on the latest Azeri cross-border shooting targeting an Armenian village, Grigoryan referred to the Defense Ministry’s statement, and reminded that Armenia has proposed Azerbaijan to create a mechanism for investigating ceasefire breaches.

He said Armenia will continue to work to avoid a military escalation.

Earlier in March, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to the terms of the peace treaty. Armenia announced readiness to sign the peace agreement as soon as possible, but Azerbaijan has been stalling the process ever since. 

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan this week reiterated readiness to swiftly sign the peace treaty with Azerbaijan.