BAKU: The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan engaged in substantive discussions during talks held in Abu Dhabi, marking the most significant direct negotiations yet in efforts to resolve their nearly four-decade conflict. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met for their first formal dialogue since agreeing on a draft peace agreement in March.
Both governments confirmed the discussions covered key issues, including the delimitation of their shared 1,000-km border, and agreed to continue negotiations at various levels. A senior Azerbaijani official described the atmosphere as “highly constructive,“ while Armenia noted the talks were “result-oriented.”
A peace deal could reshape the geopolitics of the South Caucasus, a strategic region rich in energy resources and criss-crossed by vital oil and gas pipelines. The area has long been marred by ethnic tensions and closed borders.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in conflict since the late 1980s over Nagorno-Karabakh, an Azerbaijani region with a predominantly ethnic Armenian population that sought independence. Azerbaijan regained control of Karabakh in 2023, leading to the displacement of around 100,000 ethnic Armenians. Both nations now seek a formal treaty to end hostilities.
Outstanding issues remain, including Azerbaijan’s demand for Armenia to amend its constitution, which indirectly references Karabakh. Russia, which previously stationed peacekeepers in the region, expressed full support for the diplomatic process, hoping it would bring “predictability, stability and peace to the region.” – REUTERS
