Expert: Armenia’s attempts to question Azerbaijan’s Constitution unfounded

Farid Shafiyev, Chairman of the Board of the Centre for Analysis of International Relations (CAIR), addressed Armenia’s attempts to challenge the provisions of Azerbaijan's Constitution in response to comments made by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan regarding the normalisation process with Azerbaijan.

Shafiyev noted that as long as the Minsk Group continues to exist, it will be perceived as an entity dealing with an "unfinished conflict", Caliber.Az reports via domestic media.

He emphasised that for the sake of achieving a lasting peace agreement, the Minsk Group should be officially disbanded.

While acknowledging that Pashinyan’s recent remarks show a shift from conflict-driven rhetoric toward a focus on peace, Shafiyev pointed out that some ambiguous signals still remain.

Shafiyev reminded that Armenia’s Constitution includes a reference to the possible annexation of Nagorno-Karabakh by Armenia. He pointed to international practices where such constitutional references were altered through referendums, citing, for example, Ireland’s constitutional amendments in 1998.

“Regardless of how unpopular it may be, Armenia must hold a referendum to amend its Constitution,” Shafiyev stressed.

On the matter of Armenia questioning Azerbaijan's Constitution, Shafiyev dismissed these efforts as unproductive.

“There is no reference in Azerbaijan’s Constitution, nor in its Declaration of Independence, to any territorial claims against Armenia. Similarly, references to the First Republic of 1918–1920 are without foundation. While Georgia's Declaration of Independence contains similar references, the Armenian authorities have never expressed concern about the fact that during that time, Georgia controlled the modern Lori region of Armenia,” Shafiyev said.

By Tamilla Hasanova