Azerbaijan, Turkey demand Armenian constitutional reform as peace precondition
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Azerbaijan insists Armenia must adopt a new constitution removing territorial claims before a peace agreement can be signed, with Turkey firmly backing the demand. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has pledged to unveil a draft by the end of the year, though Yerevan frames the reform as a domestic process. The constitutional issue remains the main barrier even as a de facto peace has taken hold after decades of conflict.
Baku's Constitutional Condition
Azerbaijani presidential aide Hikmet Hajiyev stated in an interview with Turkey’s Haber Global that all references and norms containing territorial claims to Azerbaijan must be removed from Armenia’s constitution. Hajiyev said Baku is monitoring signals that Yerevan has begun work on a new basic law, and that the current de facto peace must be formalized to prevent any future revanchism. He added that once the constitutional basis is aligned with international law, no obstacles to signing a peace treaty will remain.
The Ankara Factor
Hajiyev stressed the strategic alliance between Azerbaijan and Turkey, asserting that 'at a table where Turkey is absent, Azerbaijan is present, and vice versa.' He warned that any attempts to harm the interests of this alliance would meet a joint response. The alliance has been a cornerstone of regional dynamics, with Turkey providing military support to Baku during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war.
Yerevan's Response
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that a draft of a new constitution will be published by the end of 2026, though he declined to give a specific date. Pashinyan attributed the delay to parliamentary elections that required a normal campaign period before initiating sensitive public hearings. Experts note that the most contentious element is the preamble of the current constitution, which references the 1990 Declaration of Independence calling for reunification with Nagorno-Karabakh.
What's Next
The release of the draft constitution later this year will test whether Pashinyan can deliver a text acceptable to Baku while managing domestic political resistance. It remains uncertain whether the controversial preamble will be amended to abandon claims to Nagorno-Karabakh, a step that many Armenians consider a national betrayal.
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Azerbaijan, Turkey demand Armenian constitutional reform as peace precondition
