Yerevan rejects Baku's demand to amend the Armenian Constitution for a peace treaty – Mirzoyan
20.10.2025,
09:05
Armenia is ready to sign a peace treaty with Azerbaijan "even tomorrow," the text of which has been agreed upon and initialed, but there is a caveat, stated Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan.
YEREVAN, October 20. /ARKA/. Armenia is ready to sign a peace treaty with Azerbaijan "even tomorrow," the text of which has been agreed upon and initialed, but there is a caveat, stated Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan.
"The Azerbaijani side, unfortunately, is setting a precondition for signing a peace treaty. We disagree with this; we have counterarguments, but they believe there is a problem with our Constitution. This is their view, and that's why they want us to amend the Constitution. This is a condition we reject," he said in an interview with DW.
Mirzoyan emphasized that the Armenian Constitution contains nothing that would indicate territorial claims against Azerbaijan.
"The Constitution states that it is based on the Declaration of Independence." According to our legislation, only those provisions of any normative act that are literally quoted in the Constitution are legally binding, and the Declaration of Independence is not quoted there, only alluded to. So the problem the Azerbaijani side is talking about simply doesn't exist," he explained.
Nevertheless, according to the minister, Azerbaijan sees this problem and has therefore put forward preconditions of its own.
"We don't agree with this condition, but we've been talking about amending or adopting a new Constitution of Armenia since 2018. This issue is on the agenda; a commission has been created that is already completing its work, and we will most likely hold a referendum on this issue, but it will take place after the parliamentary elections next summer. I think this indicates the steps we will take in the coming days and months," the Armenian Foreign Minister noted.
About the Constitution
Azerbaijan is demanding amendments to the Armenian Constitution and the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group as preconditions for signing a peace treaty (regarding the OSCE Minsk Group, a decision has already been made to disband it).
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has repeatedly emphasized that the Armenian Constitution does not contain territorial claims against Azerbaijan or any other country, but the Azerbaijani Constitution does contain territorial claims against Armenia.
"The Azerbaijani side, unfortunately, is setting a precondition for signing a peace treaty. We disagree with this; we have counterarguments, but they believe there is a problem with our Constitution. This is their view, and that's why they want us to amend the Constitution. This is a condition we reject," he said in an interview with DW.
Mirzoyan emphasized that the Armenian Constitution contains nothing that would indicate territorial claims against Azerbaijan.
"The Constitution states that it is based on the Declaration of Independence." According to our legislation, only those provisions of any normative act that are literally quoted in the Constitution are legally binding, and the Declaration of Independence is not quoted there, only alluded to. So the problem the Azerbaijani side is talking about simply doesn't exist," he explained.
Nevertheless, according to the minister, Azerbaijan sees this problem and has therefore put forward preconditions of its own.
"We don't agree with this condition, but we've been talking about amending or adopting a new Constitution of Armenia since 2018. This issue is on the agenda; a commission has been created that is already completing its work, and we will most likely hold a referendum on this issue, but it will take place after the parliamentary elections next summer. I think this indicates the steps we will take in the coming days and months," the Armenian Foreign Minister noted.
About the Constitution
Azerbaijan is demanding amendments to the Armenian Constitution and the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group as preconditions for signing a peace treaty (regarding the OSCE Minsk Group, a decision has already been made to disband it).
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has repeatedly emphasized that the Armenian Constitution does not contain territorial claims against Azerbaijan or any other country, but the Azerbaijani Constitution does contain territorial claims against Armenia.
