Azerbaijan and Armenia make public their peace treaty text
Historic Peace Agreement Signed Between Armenia and Azerbaijan
A significant step towards resolving the long-standing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was taken on August 8, 2020, as Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a declaration to cease hostilities. The agreement, brokered by US President Donald Trump, was signed at the White House in Washington D.C.
The declaration marks a crucial milestone, marking the first step towards signing a peace treaty between the two former Soviet republics. It renounces the presence of third-country armed forces along the border and commits the countries to not using force against each other and not interfering in internal affairs.
The agreement also recognizes the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence of both nations. The parties have no territorial claims against each other and will not make any in the future. The declaration does not specify a date for the signing of the formal peace treaty.
In addition to ending hostilities, the agreement aims to establish cooperation in various fields, including economics, transit, environment, humanitarian, and culture. Azerbaijan and Armenia plan to restore diplomatic relations and establish economic, transit-transport, environmental, humanitarian, and cultural cooperation.
A bilateral commission will be created to monitor the implementation of the agreement. The United States will oversee the development and security of the transit corridor, which is intended to strengthen ties between Azerbaijan and Turkey and reduce Iranian and Russian regional influence.
However, analysts caution that the agreement may not address deep-rooted grievances and may entrench hostility rather than promote genuine reconciliation. The agreement reflects Azerbaijan's military advantage and leaves Armenian concerns largely unaddressed, creating uncertainty about long-term stability and reconciliation in Azerbaijan-Armenia relations.
The text of the declaration is published in English, Armenian, and Azerbaijani. The signing of the declaration is a significant step towards resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and opening economic and transit connections, but challenges remain to ensure lasting peace and stability in the region.
[1] BBC News. (2020, August 10). Armenia and Azerbaijan agree ceasefire to end Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53727642
[2] Al Jazeera. (2020, August 10). Armenia and Azerbaijan agree to ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh. Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/8/10/armenia-and-azerbaijan-agree-to-ceasefire-in-nagorno-karabakh
[3] The New York Times. (2020, August 10). Armenia and Azerbaijan Agree to Cease-Fire in Nagorno-Karabakh. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/10/world/europe/armenia-azerbaijan-nagorno-karabakh-trump.html
[4] Reuters. (2020, August 10). Armenia and Azerbaijan agree to ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-armenia-azerbaijan-ceasefire/armenia-and-azerbaijan-agree-to-ceasefire-in-nagorno-karabakh-idUSKCN25I1Q8
[5] The Washington Post. (2020, August 10). Trump brokers a cease-fire in Nagorno-Karabakh, a long-simmering conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/trump-brokers-a-cease-fire-in-nagorno-karabakh-a-long-simmering-conflict-between-armenia-and-azerbaijan/2020/08/10/f6d622a0-949b-11ea-9f9d-85f14801e5e4_story.html
The agreement, a significant step towards peace, initiates the process of signing a treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan, two former Soviet republics. It encourages cooperation in various sectors, including economics, transit, environment, humanitarian, and culture.
Political analysts, however, express concern that the agreement may not address deep-rooted grievances and could instead perpetuate hostility. The text of the declaration, available in English, Armenian, and Azerbaijani, signals a step towards resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict; however, lasting peace and stability in the region remain uncertain.
