Azerbaijani deputy FM names Armenia’s shifting stance as another obstacle to peace

Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elnur Mammadov has emphasized the country's commitment to peace with Armenia despite the challenges it faces. 

He made the remarks at the international conference “The Main Obstacle to a Peace Treaty Between Azerbaijan and Armenia,” organized by the Center for Analysis of International Relations, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

The deputy minister highlighted that Azerbaijan has developed principles for peace: "When talking about obstacles to peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, it should be noted that Azerbaijan's territories were under Armenian occupation for 30 years. After our territories were liberated from occupation in 2020 and 2023, we sent our peace proposals to Armenia. The victorious side in a war never proposes peace, but we have taken steps in this direction."

He also pointed out that one of the reasons for the inability to sign a peace treaty stems from the Armenian delegation's inconsistent positions at the negotiating table.

"Peace talks have been held in the US, Russia, and Kazakhstan. But what is the obstacle to signing peace that prevents achieving lasting peace? The first obstacle is that Armenia's Constitution reflects territorial claims against Azerbaijan. The second obstacle is that when sitting around the table, Armenian delegations have defended different positions," Mammadov underlined.

Mammadov further stated that another issue is related to Armenia's accession to the Rome Statute. Another point is their anti-Azerbaijani views: "If countries want peace, they should come to an agreement."

By Khagan Isayev