Armenia recognizes Karabakh as Azerbaijan territory: independent Russian media

Armenia has recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as Azerbaijani territory, according to the joint announcement by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

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The President of Azerbaijan stated that his country has no territorial claims against Armenia. He added that “given that Armenia recognized Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan”, the two countries have the opportunity to reach a peace agreement. The Prime Minister of Armenia, in turn, announced that the recognition of the territorial integrity of both countries had been agreed.

Earlier, at a press conference in Yerevan, Pashinyan said that his country recognizes the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, which includes Nagorno-Karabakh, but on the condition that the security of the Armenian population is ensured. Aliyev, however, said the signing of a peace treaty with Armenia was “inevitable” and added that Baku was making “constructive efforts” to achieve this goal.

According to Russian independent media, this is a “major progress” towards the normalization of relations between the feuding states. The next talks between the leaders are due to take place on Thursday. The negotiations will be mediated by Vladimir Putin.

Armenian and Azerbaijani top politicians met during the session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council which is the highest supranational body of the Eurasian Economic Union. It includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have had a decades-long dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh, an Armenian separatist region that is de jure part of Azerbaijan. The bloodiest clashes between Armenians and Azeris over Nagorno-Karabakh took place in 1988-1994. The area became, in effect, an Armenian-ruled quasi-state supported by Armenia. The last stage of this conflict took place in 2020 when Azerbaijan regained control over part of this territory.