Azerbaijani MP warns delays to peace treaty could threaten stability

Armenia must amend its constitution to preserve peace in the South Caucasus, Azerbaijani MP Rizvan Nabiyev said at today's plenary session of parliament.

Report informs that Nabiyev described peace in the region as fragile and said it needed to be protected and strengthened.

He said Baku had stressed the need to underpin peace with fundamental legal guarantees.

"Armenia must remove the territorial claims against Azerbaijan contained in the preamble to its constitution and provide the legal basis for signing a peace treaty. Armenia's leadership must demonstrate political will. Delaying the signing of peace could, under any circumstances, lead to events spiraling out of control, even within Armenia itself.

"Another aspect of the peace treaty concerns the normalization of interstate relations. That process begins only after the peace treaty is signed. The treaty must be ratified, and the first step in interstate relations after the agreement is the establishment of diplomatic ties. Signing the legal document is therefore essential."

Nabiyev stressed that Azerbaijan was taking consistent steps to strengthen peace.

"In Kazakhstan, President Ilham Aliyev announced the opening of the railway passing through Azerbaijani territory for links with Armenia, and trade barriers were removed.

"Another very important development took place recently: representatives of the electricity networks came together for a meeting. Electricity and energy issues are an important component of national security. If trust is to be extended to Armenia in this area, it must also take serious steps.

"Conferences were held on the ratification of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), and certain statements were heard from Armenia's Foreign Ministry. However, unresolved issues concerning ratification are a cause for concern."

Discussing the humanitarian approach to peace, the MP said it involved building people-to-people relations and clarifying certain issues.

"A total of 4,010 Azerbaijani citizens are missing, including 288 women, 71 children and 319 elderly people.

"The State Commission held a major conference in Baku, which was even covered by Euronews. Armenia must take certain steps to clarify these people's fate.

"In terms of strategic partnerships, our partners also expect lasting, stable peace to be established in the region and Armenia finally to fulfill its obligations."