Azerbaijan announces conclusion of peace talks with Armenia
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov speaking at the Extraordinary Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on March 7, 2025 (IHA Photo)
Azerbaijan announced on Thursday that it had completed peace negotiations with Armenia, finalizing the text of a long-awaited peace treaty aimed at ending decades of conflict between the two South Caucasus nations.
Breakthrough in peace talks
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov confirmed that discussions on the peace agreement had concluded, with Armenia accepting Azerbaijan’s proposals on two previously unresolved articles.
“The negotiation process on the text of the peace agreement with Armenia has been concluded,” Bayramov told reporters during the 12th Global Baku Forum.
“Armenia has accepted Azerbaijan’s proposals on the two previously unresolved articles of the peace treaty.”
The breakthrough comes after years of diplomatic efforts to resolve tensions stemming from territorial disputes over Karabakh, a region internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but previously under Armenian occupation.
Next steps in the peace process
While the treaty text has been finalized, Bayramov emphasized that further steps were necessary to ensure lasting peace.
Azerbaijan expects Armenia to amend its constitution and other legal frameworks to remove provisions that question Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
“One of the necessary conditions for lasting peace is for Armenia to revise its constitution and remove any clauses that contradict Azerbaijan’s sovereignty,” Bayramov stated.
He also reiterated Azerbaijan’s stance on the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group, which had previously attempted to mediate the conflict.
Background of the conflict
Relations between Baku and Yerevan have been strained since the early 1990s, when the Armenian military occupied Karabakh and surrounding regions. Azerbaijan regained most of these territories during a 44-day war in late 2020, leading to a Russian-brokered cease-fire.
In September 2023, Azerbaijan launched an “anti-terrorist operation” to reassert control over Karabakh, compelling separatist forces to surrender. This move further shifted the dynamics in the region and set the stage for accelerated peace negotiations.
