Baku denies claims on Armenian land, cites historic presence in Western Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan’s special envoy Elchin Amirbayov has sought to clarify recent remarks by President Ilham Aliyev, insisting they should not be seen as a sign of territorial ambitions toward Armenia. 

In an interview with Swedish Radio, Amirbayov pushed back against growing concerns in Yerevan, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

“The statement by President Ilham Aliyev should not be understood as a claim by Azerbaijan on Armenian territory,” Amirbayov said, emphasising that references to “Western Azerbaijan” were not about current borders. “The term refers to lands where Azerbaijanis historically constituted the majority.”

The senior Azerbaijani official said mutual distrust continues to cloud prospects for a peace deal between the two neighbors. “In Armenia, there is distrust toward the Azerbaijani leader, and we, in turn, do not trust Armenia. Unfortunately, we have serious and justified concerns about their true intentions,” he said.

Amirbayov also highlighted that Armenia’s domestic legal framework remains a sticking point in the stalled negotiations. “The issue of constitutional changes in Armenia — necessary for concluding a peace agreement — remains on the agenda,” he noted.

By Tamilla Hasanova