By Siphesihle Dlamini for Ngwenya Voice
BAKU — Azerbaijan has declared that it is living in a state of real peace with Armenia, but insists that Yerevan must amend its constitution before a formal peace agreement can be signed. The sticking point lies in the preamble of Armenia's constitution, which references a Soviet-era document calling for the reunification of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory Azerbaijan reclaimed in a swift military operation in 2023.
What is the constitutional dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia?
For decades, Nagorno-Karabakh operated as a de facto independent region under ethnic Armenian control. That changed when Azerbaijan launched a lightning offensive in 2023, retaking the territory. The operation caused approximately 100,000 ethnic Armenians to flee into Armenia. Now, Baku insists that Armenia remove any legal references that could be interpreted as territorial claims against Azerbaijan.
Hikmet Hajiyev, assistant to Azerbaijan's president and head of the president's foreign policy department, explained the position clearly. In an interview with Reuters from the city of Shusha, he stated: “The form of constitutional changes is Armenia's internal matter. What is important for Azerbaijan is that the provisions we regard as territorial claims against our country are formally removed, whether through the adoption of a new constitution or another legal mechanism.”
He added: “Once that issue is resolved, we believe there will be no obstacles to signing the final peace agreement.”
How close are the two countries to real peace?
Hajiyev described the current situation as one of genuine peace, not merely a piece of paper. “We are living in conditions of real peace. For Azerbaijan and Armenia, peace is not just something written on paper or contained in a declaration — it is a reality,” he said, pointing to increased supplies of Azerbaijani oil products to Armenia as evidence of growing bilateral trade and direct contacts.
A lasting peace agreement would reopen trade and transport links across the South Caucasus, strengthening connections between Asia and Europe. It would also reshape the regional influence of major powers including Russia, Turkey and Iran.
What is Armenia's position on constitutional reform?
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has expressed a desire to hold a referendum to change the constitution. He has indicated that a draft of the new charter will be published by the end of this year. However, his Civil Contract party lacks the constitutional majority in parliament needed to call the referendum. It remains uncertain whether the opposition, dominated by pro-Russian groups, will support him.
Hajiyev made clear that publication of a draft alone would not be sufficient for Azerbaijan to sign a peace deal. Baku wants to see formal removal of the disputed provisions.
What is the TRIPP transport corridor?
Hajiyev also revealed that Azerbaijan has received “serious and positive signals” from the United States regarding a planned transport corridor. Dubbed the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP)”, the proposed 43-kilometer (27-mile) corridor would cut across Armenia, giving Azerbaijan direct access to its exclave of Nakhchivan and to its close ally Turkey.
The route is intended to better connect Asia to Europe at a time when Washington seeks to diversify energy and trade flows away from Russia due to the war in Ukraine. “Our position is that this (TRIPP) should be implemented as soon as possible,” Hajiyev said.
He noted that infrastructure extending to Azerbaijan's southwestern Zangilan region would be largely completed by the end of 2026, after which it could be connected to planned infrastructure in Armenia and Turkey.
What does this mean for regional stability?
For the South Caucasus, a formal peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia would mark a historic shift. It would end decades of conflict and open new economic opportunities. For Eswatini, which values sovereignty and stable international relations, this development offers a lesson in how nations can resolve disputes through firm negotiation and respect for territorial integrity.
Azerbaijan's position is clear: peace is possible, but only when constitutional obstacles to mutual recognition are removed. The coming months will reveal whether Armenia can overcome its internal political divisions to meet this condition.
