Armenia reiterates readiness to sign Azerbaijan peace deal

Armenia on Monday reiterated readiness to swiftly sign the peace treaty with Azerbaijan. 

Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan, speaking at the Armenia-France Forum on Decentralized Cooperation in Goris, Syunik, said that Armenia has been making decisive efforts to establish peace in the South Caucasus despite all challenges.

He said Armenia’s approach is based on the principles of territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of borders, which both Armenia and Azerbaijan are mutually bound to adhere under the Alma-Ata Declaration, the 1991 declaration whereby Armenia, Azerbaijan and other newly independent republics recognized each other’s Soviet-era borders as international borders. 

“We remain strongly committed to the normalization of relations with Azerbaijan,” Kostanyan said at the opening of the forum, stressing that Armenia and Azerbaijan have concluded the terms of the would-be peace treaty.

“Armenia is ready to sign and then ratify it. I can assure you that the clearest, direct and shortest way to address all concerns of the parties is to sign and ratify the agreement, which will open an era of peaceful coexistence in our region,” Kostanyan said.

He said holding the forum in Syunik contains a clear message of peace and cooperation.

“The guarantee for sustainable development is also economic interconnectivity and regional cooperation, which will contribute to the formation of an atmosphere of mutual trust in the region. Syunik can become a strategic hub of cooperation, where joint infrastructure, transport, energy projects will serve the interests of not only Armenia, but the whole region, and the broader region. Our goal is to form a peaceful and safe region where cooperation will prevail over conflicts, gateways over closed borders, and interstate relations will develop on mutual respect instead of threats. This is our vision to move forward, and this event in Syunik is a vivid example of this,” Kostanyan said, highlighting the importance of Armenia’s Crossroads of Peace project.

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.