US Congressman Joe Wilson: Make South Caucasus great again! as Azerbaijan-Armenia peace deal nears

Republican Congressman Joe Wilson of South Carolina has welcomed the completion of negotiations on the draft peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, hailing it as a significant step toward regional stability and prosperity.

In a statement on social media platform X, Wilson expressed his optimism about the upcoming peace deal, Caliber.Az reports.

“I am grateful to learn that the two great nations of Azerbaijan and Armenia are close to signing a historic peace deal. The peace deal will make stability and prosperity possible for the entire region and beyond! Make South Caucasus Great Again!”, he wrote.

His remarks come following the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry’s statement on March 13, in which Baku reaffirmed its commitment to continued dialogue with Armenia after successfully concluding negotiations on the Agreement on Peace and the Establishment of Interstate Relations.

In its statement, Azerbaijan expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved:

"We note with satisfaction that the negotiations on the text of the draft Agreement on Peace and the Establishment of Interstate Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia have been concluded," the ministry stated.

Azerbaijan also underscored the necessity for constitutional changes in Armenia to remove any territorial claims against its sovereignty before the finalization of the agreement.

"We also reiterate the long-lasting and principled position of Azerbaijan that the amendment to Armenia’s constitution to eliminate the claims against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is a prerequisite to allow the signing of the negotiated text," the statement continued.

Additionally, Baku emphasized the importance of formally dissolving the OSCE Minsk Group, which it described as an outdated and ineffective structure:

"Furthermore, we emphasize the necessity to formally abolish the obsolete and dysfunctional Minsk Group and related structures of the OSCE."

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry reaffirmed its readiness to continue bilateral discussions with Armenia to ensure a comprehensive normalization process.

"We are ready to continue the bilateral dialogue on these and other issues related to the normalization process between the two countries," the ministry stated.

Meanwhile, the Armenian Foreign Ministry has confirmed that Yerevan has accepted Azerbaijan’s proposals on the two remaining disputed articles, signaling that the peace treaty is now ready for formal signing.

The ministry stated that it had communicated with Baku through diplomatic channels to confirm Armenia’s acceptance of the agreement's terms.

"The Peace Agreement is ready for signing. The Republic of Armenia is ready to begin consultations with the Republic of Azerbaijan on the dates and place of signing the agreement," the statement read.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov also confirmed that both nations have reached consensus on the terms of the draft treaty and reiterated Azerbaijan’s commitment to furthering the dialogue on peace and stability in the South Caucasus.

By Tamilla Hasanova