Azerbaijan sees no peace obstacle if Armenia drops constitutional claim

Hikmet Hajiyev, foreign policy adviser to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, said on Monday that Baku sees no obstacle to signing a final peace agreement with Armenia if Yerevan removes a constitutional provision claiming Azerbaijani territory, noting that officials are monitoring constitutional reform efforts following recent elections.

Constitutional claim blocks formal peace

Hajiyev told Anadolu Agency that Azerbaijan is closely tracking Armenia's efforts to draft a new constitution after its elections. "There is an issue of a territorial claim against Azerbaijan in Armenia's constitution," he said. He added that Baku expects the provision "not to be included in the new constitution, in other words, to be removed," and noted that similar intentions exist on the Armenian side. "If a referendum is held in Armenia, the new constitution is adopted and that provision is removed, we see no obstacle or problem to the final signing of the peace agreement," he stated.

Karabakh rebuilding gathers pace

Azerbaijan is currently rebuilding nine cities and 300 villages in Karabakh from scratch following the conflict, with thousands of kilometers of roads, bridges and tunnels constructed in a short period. Around 60,000 people have already begun living, working and studying in the region, though landmines remain a major challenge despite ongoing demining operations. "We are in the process of creating a paradise in Karabakh, which is itself a natural paradise," Hajiyev said.

Zangezur Corridor and Ankara ties

On the proposed Zangezur Corridor, Hajiyev indicated that feasibility studies were nearing completion and construction could begin this year. A divided highway from Baku to Zangilan is nearly finished alongside the railway line, while infrastructure in Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is being reconstructed and Türkiye builds the Kars-Igdir line. Hajiyev described bilateral relations as a historic brotherhood, calling attempts to damage ties "dirty propaganda," and stated: "I call those who try to undermine Türkiye-Azerbaijan relations traitors. Whether they are in Türkiye or Azerbaijan, those who display such an intention will never achieve their goals."