Armenian Embassy in Argentina: Azerbaijan is once again speaking the language of preconditions instead of working toward lasting peace in the South Caucasus
Elchin Amirbayov, Azerbaijan’s presidential representative for special assignments, said that Baku is ready to strike a peace deal with Armenia to end decades-long crisis between the two Caucasus neighbors, Buenos Aires Times writes, referring to a top official.
The official delivered his remarks during a visit last week to Argentina, during which he met with Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein and Cabinet Chief Guillermo Francos. He also met with civil society groups, including the Consejo Argentinos para las Relaciones Internacionales (CARI) think tank. As noted, Azerbaijan and Armenia have fought two wars since the fall of the Soviet Union, primarily over the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. The conflict last peaked in September 2023, when Baku seized the area in a swift 24-hour offensive, prompting more than 100,000 Armenians to flee the territory. Earlier this month, officials from both nations announced that the rivals had come to an agreement on a peace treaty. The text includes a demand from Baku that Yerevan reform its constitution.
During a press briefing, Amirbayov insisted that constitutional reform on the part of Armenia is a necessary step to establishing a “sustainable and irreversible” peace. “Now the ball is in Armenia’s court,” he affirmed.
The Armenian Embassy in Argentina, however, expressed disappointment in Amirbayov’s stance. “It is unfortunate that Azerbaijan is currently de facto refusing to sign the agreement it had itself agreed upon with Armenia, once again speaking the language of preconditions instead of working toward lasting peace in the South Caucasus,” the Embassy commented in a statement to the Times. “Nevertheless, we remain hopeful that Azerbaijan will demonstrate political will and sign the agreement regulating relations between the two countries in the foreseeable future.” In addition to Armenian constitutional reform, Amirbayov detailed that a peace deal would require the dissolution of third-party mediators, including the “Minsk Process.” “We strongly believe that the future of our relationship is in the hands of Armenia and Azerbaijan, and there is no need for any third party in this affair and there is no need for third-party forces,” the official said. Argentina is home to the third-largest Armenian diaspora in the world and its ties with Buenos Aires run deeper.
