Armenia, Azerbaijan reach historic agreement towards normalization

Arch-rivals Armenia and Azerbaijan has announced on Thursday a significant step in their efforts to normalize relations, marking a breakthrough that received praise from the European Union.

The nations, entangled in a longstanding conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, disclosed plans to exchange prisoners of war. Azerbaijan, having swiftly reclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh in September, has expressed hope for a peace agreement by year-end, although progress in mediation by the EU, US, and Russia has been slow.

In a joint statement, both countries acknowledged a “historical chance to achieve a long-awaited peace in the region” and affirmed their commitment to normalize relations and establish a peace treaty respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity. Baku committed to releasing 32 Armenian prisoners, reciprocated by Yerevan’s release of two Azerbaijani servicemen.

The nations pledged to continue discussions on implementing confidence-building measures, urging international support. The agreements emerged from talks between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s office and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev’s administration.

Armenia’s positive response to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s offer to organize a meeting between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Washington was also highlighted. EU Council President Charles Michel commended the development as a “key step,” emphasizing its significance.

The United States welcomed the commitment as a “confidence-building measure,” crucial in the pursuit of a finalized peace agreement and normalized relations, according to State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.

Despite previous normalisation talks between Aliyev and Pashinyan, recent months witnessed a stall, with Azerbaijan’s refusal to participate in talks in the US and Aliyev’s non-attendance in negotiations in Spain. The process, mediated by the EU, encountered obstacles due to perceived bias from the United States and France.

The resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in September, with Azerbaijan’s military victory, marked the end of a territorial dispute that spanned two wars in 2020 and the 1990s, resulting in tens of thousands of casualties on both sides. Russia’s influence in the region has diminished amid its engagement in the Ukraine conflict.