Washington: Azerbaijan, Armenia to sign agreement marking beginning of peace deal

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced that Washington will host the signing of a key agreement marking the start of a peace deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Speaking ahead of the event, Rubio expressed hope that the signing, scheduled for August 8, would lay the foundation for lasting peace in the region, Caliber.Az reports citing the US Department of State. 

"Azerbaijan and Armenia, hopefully – we’re taping this here today, but on Friday of this week, we’ll be here to sign an agreement and the beginning of a peace deal there," he stated.

Addressing the broader peace agenda of the administration, Rubio emphasised President Trump’s commitment to global stability.

“The President is committed to peace and committed to being the President of peace,” he said.

He recalled previous instances where the US successfully intervened to resolve conflicts, including the direct involvement in the India-Pakistan war, where the President helped deliver peace.

Rubio also cited diplomatic progress in Southeast Asia, mentioning Cambodia and Thailand as further examples of the administration’s peace efforts.

The signing is expected to involve a Joint Declaration between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, witnessed by US President Donald Trump.

Azerbaijan had set two main conditions for signing the peace deal with Armenia: a joint appeal to the OSCE to dissolve the Minsk Group, and constitutional amendments in Armenia to remove territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

The Joint Declaration to be signed will confirm that both countries will submit a joint request to the OSCE Secretary-General to dissolve the Minsk Group. It will also acknowledge the need for further steps to sign and ratify an agreement establishing interstate relations and peace following the finalisation of the text.

This implicitly confirms the necessity of constitutional changes in Armenia as a key condition for the final peace accord.

Following the recent Patriotic War, President Aliyev has repeatedly emphasised the importance of securing unobstructed land access between mainland Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan exclave. This demand has been accepted by Armenia.

 The Joint Declaration will affirm guaranteed free movement between Azerbaijan’s main territory and Nakhchivan, effectively realising the Zangezur corridor project.

By Aghakazim Guliyev