Armenia, Azerbaijan hold ‘constructive’ peace talks in UAE

ABU DHABI

The crucial meeting between Azerbaijani President İlham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in the United Arab Emirates took place in a “constructive atmosphere,” diplomatic sources from Baku informed on July 10.

Held in Abu Dhabi on July 10, the Aliyev-Pashinyan meeting focused on key aspects of the ongoing peace process between the Caucasian countries.

The talks lasted approximately five hours in total, comprising two rounds of bilateral meetings between delegations and two one-on-one discussions between Aliyev and Pashinyan,

Baku and Yerevan have fought two wars over the disputed Karabakh region, which Azerbaijan retook in a swift military operation in 2023, triggering the exodus of more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians.

The archfoes agreed on the text of a comprehensive peace deal in March, but Baku has since outlined a host of demands, including amendments to Armenia's constitution to drop its territorial claims for the Karabakh, before signing the document.

One of the central topics of the July 10 meeting was an in-depth exchange of views on the possible initialing of the peace accord and other related issues, the sources said.

Discussions also covered the delimitation of borders and the opening of the Zangezur Corridor, according to the Azerbaijani sources.

The Zangezur Corridor refers to a proposed transport route that would connect mainland Azerbaijan with its exclave Nakhchivan through southern Armenia, near the Iranian border. Azerbaijan and Türkiye support the project, viewing it as a strategic link, while Armenia strongly opposes it, arguing it threatens its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The sources further described the talks in the UAE as having taken place in a “constructive atmosphere.”

The meeting resulted in a general consensus to continue contacts and negotiations on the peace process both through various working groups and at higher political levels.

On the Azerbaijani side, Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, Presidential Advisor Hikmet Hajiyev and Presidential Representative for Special Assignments Elchin Amirbayov were present at the meeting.

Representing Armenia were Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, Secretary of the Security Council Armen Grigoryan and Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ruben Rubinyan.

In addition to demanding constitutional changes, the Azerbaijani government has also insisted on the dissolution of the long-defunct OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) Minsk Group.

Established in 1992 and co-chaired by France, Russia, and the United States, the OSCE Minsk Group was tasked with mediating a peaceful settlement to the Karabakh conflict.

In April, Pashinyan proposed that the peace agreement with Azerbaijan and the formal dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group be signed simultaneously.

Aliyev and Pashinyan had last met on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in Albania in May.