Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan reaffirmed Armenia’s readiness to finalize a peace agreement with Azerbaijan and called for the simultaneous dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group during his address to parliament on the 2024 state budget execution.

Pashinyan stated that Azerbaijan had linked the signing of the peace treaty to two conditions: dissolving the Minsk Group and amending Armenia’s constitution, which Baku claims implies territorial claims against Azerbaijan. In response, the Armenian PM said Armenia has no objection to dissolving the Minsk Group, provided it happens concurrently with the peace agreement’s signing. This, he explained, would eliminate the perception that the conflict is merely shifting into Armenian territory.

Regarding constitutional matters, Pashinyan cited the Armenian Constitutional Court’s September 2024 decision, which confirmed that the Alma-Ata Declaration—recognizing post-Soviet borders—is compatible with Armenia’s constitution.

“There are no territorial claims against Azerbaijan in our constitution—neither legally nor officially,” he said.

While accusing Azerbaijan of using these issues to delay the peace process, Pashinyan noted that Armenia has deliberately refrained from raising concerns about Azerbaijani constitutional language concerning Armenia, for the sake of peace.

He explained that the finalized text of the peace agreement will be submitted to Armenia’s Constitutional Court for review, and, if found in line with the constitution, it would then be ratified by parliament. This process, he said, ensures full compliance with international law.

Pashinyan also addressed recent border tensions, particularly near the village of Khnatsakh in Armenia’s Syunik region, blaming Azerbaijan for ongoing ceasefire violations. He stressed that Armenian forces have been instructed not to retaliate and repeated Yerevan’s offer to establish a joint mechanism with Baku to investigate border incidents.

Rejecting predictions of renewed conflict, the Armenian PM declared:

“There is no reason for war. Armenia and Azerbaijan have recognized each other’s territorial integrity. There will be no war—only peace.”