Mirzoyan on Aliyev's Statements

Ararat Mirzoyan, the Foreign Minister of Armenia, stated during a press conference that Armenia and Azerbaijan have exchanged proposals regarding the peaceful resolution of their relations several times. However, the recent interview with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev represents a regression even from Baku's proposals. Mirzoyan highlighted that Azerbaijan has suggested using maps from 1974 to 1990. He noted that after some research, the Armenian side assumed that these could be applicable, but in Aliyev's latest interview, there is even a backtrack from the initial Azerbaijani proposal.

‘The Azerbaijani president's latest interview is even a step back from Azerbaijani proposals,’ he remarked. Mirzoyan emphasized that the Armenian side has consistently referred to the maps from 1974 to 1978. ‘For Armenia, maximum clarity in the further delimitation process, as legally unassailable as possible, is crucial, and in this context, I want to mention the Alma-Ata declaration,’ he said.

He noted that throughout 2023, there have been five meetings between the Prime Minister of Armenia and the President of Azerbaijan, including four trilateral and one quintuple meeting. According to the minister, it has been possible to reach agreements on certain formulations in the peace treaty. ‘Although there are differences in positions on several key issues,’ he added.

Mirzoyan also pointed out that in 2023, Armenia sent the sixth draft of the peace treaty and received the seventh draft from the Azerbaijani side. ‘In the early days of 2024, the Armenian seventh draft was conveyed to Azerbaijan,’ the minister noted.

Earlier, President Ilham Aliyev had stated that the Azerbaijani army does not intend to leave the territories occupied during military clashes with the Armenian armed forces in 2021 and 2022, and reiterated the need to open a corridor through Zangezur, connecting Azerbaijan's main part with Nakhichevan. Prime Minister Pashinyan termed these statements a serious blow to the peaceful negotiation process and noted that Aliyev's words contradict the logic of negotiations and create tension throughout the region.