Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Rules Out "Partial Peace" with Armenia, Calls for Constitutional Amendments

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister, Jayhun Bayramov, dismissed the possibility of a "partial peace" with Armenia during a speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday, in response to a more optimistic tone struck by Yerevan earlier in the week. His comments highlighted the stark contrast between the two countries' positions, underscoring the significant hurdles that remain to finalise a comprehensive peace agreement.

“Partial peace is impossible after so much suffering and pain caused… territorial claims against neighbors,” Bayramov told the assembly, emphasizing the need for Yerevan to amend its constitution to remove references to “reunification” with Nagorno-Karabakh, a region internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but long disputed by Armenia.

Bayramov’s remarks followed Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s statement on Thursday that peace with Azerbaijan is “not only possible, but also achievable.” Pashinyan’s comments marked a rare expression of optimism amid a decades-long conflict that has seen several rounds of failed negotiations and sporadic fighting, most notably the war in 2020, which resulted in significant territorial losses for Armenia.

Despite ongoing tensions, both countries have acknowledged progress towards a peace deal, declaring that the treaty is 80 percent ready. The agreement is said to include provisions for border delimitation and other technical details. However, Baku is insistent on resolving all outstanding issues before signing, with Bayramov stressing that Armenia must “renounce territorial claims to Azerbaijan once and for all by amending the constitution” to ensure Baku’s territorial integrity is no longer in “legal uncertainty.”

Pashinyan, speaking at the same UN session, indicated a willingness to meet Baku’s core demand by providing transport access through Armenia to Azerbaijan’s exclave of Nakhichevan. This corridor would effectively connect Azerbaijan’s main territory to its traditional ally Turkey. However, Pashinyan pushed back on the notion that every detail needs to be settled before signing a deal.

“There is no precedent for a peace agreement or any agreement that would regulate and solve everything,” Pashinyan said, calling for both sides to sign the draft treaty immediately and then work out the remaining issues through continued dialogue.

Western diplomats expressed skepticism over Baku’s demands for constitutional amendments in Armenia, noting that any such change would require a national referendum — a lengthy and unpredictable process. “This request may be a way for Baku to ask for the impossible, in order to avoid signing an agreement,” said one European diplomat familiar with the negotiations.

Bayramov’s insistence on constitutional changes and his accusation that Yerevan has been “dramatically increasing” its military budget while acquiring “a large number of offensive weapons from both traditional and new suppliers” point to a deep mistrust between the two sides, despite ongoing diplomatic engagement.

Nevertheless, the Azerbaijani foreign minister acknowledged “significant progress” in normalizing relations, calling for “early steps” to complete the process “at this critical moment.” His comments suggest a cautious optimism that a resolution may be within reach, but only if Armenia meets Azerbaijan’s demands for constitutional changes.

Whether Armenia can—or will—meet Azerbaijan’s constitutional demands remains to be seen, leaving the path to peace fraught with uncertainty.