Azerbaijani deputy PM meets with Armenian counterpart in Moscow

Azerbaijan’s First Deputy Prime Minister, Yagub Eyyubov, met with Armenian counterpart Mher Grigoryan on November 29 in Moscow.

The meeting took place on the margins of the 104th session of the CIS Economic Council in Moscow, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

Following the official talks, Eyyubov and Grigoryan engaged in an informal conversation for more than 10 minutes.

Azerbaijan has consistently urged Armenia to remove references in its constitution to the 1990 Declaration of Independence, which cites the illegal act of 1989 on the unification of Soviet Armenia and the then Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region of Azerbaijan.

On July 1, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev mentioned that the text of a peace treaty, or at least basic principles, could be finalized within a few months, emphasizing that the signing of peace hinges on Armenia amending its constitution.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan had earlier announced Armenia's proposal to sign a peace agreement based on previously agreed provisions. However, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has rejected this approach, citing significant differences in viewpoints.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry stated that a document cannot be considered agreed upon until all clauses are fully reconciled. He confirmed that approximately 80 per cent of the clauses have been agreed, emphasizing that unresolved issues cannot be overlooked.

The ministry highlighted that a key condition for advancing the peace process is Armenia's need to amend its Constitution to eliminate territorial claims against Azerbaijan, asserting that peace cannot be achieved until these claims are removed from Armenian legislation.

By Vafa Guliyeva