One year after Azerbaijan’s rapid offensive against Armenian separatists, both countries are making notable diplomatic strides, though a comprehensive peace treaty remains elusive.
Context of Conflict
In September 2022, Azerbaijan swiftly seized back Nagorno-Karabakh, a region that had an ethnic Armenian population and had broken away three decades earlier. This led to the exodus of nearly 120,000 residents to Armenia, which has since been weakened and embittered by a lack of support from traditional ally Russia. In the months that followed, Armenia entered into talks with Azerbaijan on normalizing relations.
Western Focus on Peace
While some in the Armenian diaspora have sought punishment of Azerbaijan over what they described as “ethnic cleansing,” Western governments are prioritizing a peace agreement to avert further conflict. The top diplomats of Armenia and Azerbaijan are attending the UN General Assembly this year for discussions rather than mutual recriminations.
Ongoing Diplomatic Efforts
The United States and France have been instrumental in facilitating dialogue, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken expected to meet jointly with his Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts. Both countries assert their commitment to peace despite existing obstacles.
“Armenia has shown multiple times its sincere hope and determination to reach a just and durable peace in the region,” stated Hasmik Tolmajyan, the Armenian ambassador in Paris.
Complications in Negotiations
Earlier this year, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to delineate a 12-kilometer border segment, but differences have emerged regarding the finalization of this understanding. Armenia wants to sign an agreement, but Azerbaijan is opposed, “using the well-known diplomatic principle that nothing is agreed to until everything is agreed to,” according to Azerbaijani analyst Togroul Djuvarli.
Azerbaijan’s ambassador in Paris, Leyla Abdullayeva, mentioned that the two sides agreed on nearly 80 percent of the points in a draft peace treaty, but emphasized that the outstanding issues “cannot be swept under the rug.”
(INCLUDES INPUTS FROM ONLINE SOURCES)
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