Azerbaijan-Armenia legal cases discussed at Paris arbitration week

The 10th Paris Arbitration Week featured a high-level panel examining the increasing role of interstate arbitration in resolving complex international disputes, with particular focus on the ongoing legal proceedings between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Kamala Mehdiyeva, President of the Azerbaijan Arbitration Association and Co-President of the Turkic Arbitration Association, led the session, which brought together 120 delegates from across the globe. The discussion centered on Azerbaijan’s unprecedented cases against Armenia at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), filed under the Bern Convention and the Energy Charter Treaty, Caliber.Az reports per local media. 

These cases raise new legal questions regarding environmental obligations, access to energy resources, and the application of arbitration mechanisms in the post-conflict period. Panelists shared their views on the significance of these PCA cases in resolving interstate disputes, the broader impacts of arbitration in regional and global contexts, as well as potential developments and legal arguments as these proceedings progress.

According to her, this significance is manifested in two directions. First, it is the first legal case brought under the Bern Convention concerning claims for the protection of wildlife and natural habitats. Second, these processes prove that obligations related to environmental protection and climate change are binding for states, and effective legal mechanisms aimed at protecting biodiversity exist even during periods of occupation.

Panelists explored the legal and practical aspects of the proceedings, including issues related to environmental obligations, access to energy resources, and the application of arbitration mechanisms in post-conflict contexts. They also discussed the broader significance of interstate arbitration in promoting regional stability and resolving disputes on the global stage.

The session further considered the prospects for a potential peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia, along with other examples of international arbitration, underscoring the growing importance of arbitration in addressing complex interstate conflicts.

By Sabina Mammadli