Jul 25, 2023

Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks reach critical make or break point

Many consider that negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, “nearly three years after the start of the 2020 Karabakh War, are at a make or break point,” writes Onnik James Krikorian for commonspace.eu. “But there are some positive signs as well. Despite a tendency towards erratic behaviour, Prime Minister Pashinyan continues to hint at the possibility of a deal as does President Ilham Aliyev. Whether both have the political will to do so is simply a matter for discussion and debate.”

The situation between Armenia and Azerbaijan is becoming increasingly complicated as time arguably runs out for a peace agreement between the sides by the end of the year. The hardest issues to resolve always come at the end, observers note, but adding to concerns, the two leaders are not set to meet again, at least in the Charles Michel facilitated format, until the autumn. On 21 July, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told AFP that a new war could occur if a peace deal is not signed.

 

“So long as a peace treaty has not been signed and such a treaty has not been ratified by the parliaments of the two countries, of course, a [new] war [with Azerbaijan] is very likely,” he said.

 

Indeed, many consider that negotiations, nearly three years after the start of the 2020 Karabakh War, are at a make or break point. But there are some positive signs as well. Despite a tendency towards erratic behaviour, Prime Minister Pashinyan continues to hint at the possibility of a deal as does President Ilham Aliyev. Whether both have the political will to do so is simply a matter for discussion and debate. 

 

[…] 

The full article can be read here. 

 

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