Azerbaijan sees no remaining obstacle to signing a formal, definitive peace agreement with Armenia provided that Yerevan removes a constitutional provision that Baku considers an explicit territorial claim against Azerbaijani sovereignty, according to senior presidential adviser Hikmet Hajiyev. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a regional cooperation forum focused on South Caucasus peace and reconstruction, the foreign policy adviser to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that officials in Baku are closely monitoring political developments and legal reforms in neighboring Armenia as Yerevan prepares to draft and adopt a new constitution. Hajiyev noted that signals from the Armenian government indicate an intention to address these constitutional concerns, paving the way toward a historical diplomatic normalization between the long-time rivals.
The core issue centered in diplomatic discussions involves references within the preamble of Armenia's current constitution, which incorporates the 1990 Armenian Declaration of Independence. Baku maintains that these foundational legal references contain implicit territorial claims over the Karabakh region and portions of eastern Anatolia. According to Hajiyev, once a national referendum is successfully conducted in Armenia to adopt a revised constitutional text without these territorial assertions, all legal and political barriers to a bilateral peace treaty will effectively disappear. He added that despite the absence of a signed treaty, a de facto atmosphere of peace already exists across the South Caucasus, allowing both nations to advance constructive dialogue and work toward permanent regional stability.
In addition to political negotiations, Hajiyev highlighted the massive scale of post-conflict reconstruction currently underway across Karabakh. Azerbaijani authorities are engaged in rebuilding nine urban centers and approximately three hundred rural villages almost entirely from scratch. The state infrastructure program has already completed thousands of kilometers of modern highways, along with an extensive network of bridges and mountain tunnels designed to reconnect the region with major economic hubs. Approximately sixty thousand Azerbaijani citizens have already relocated to Karabakh to live, work, and study. However, Hajiyev acknowledged that the widespread presence of unexploded ordnance and landmines remains one of the primary obstacles to rapid resettlement, though continuous demining operations are gradually enabling displaced residents to return safely to their ancestral homelands.
The presidential aide also addressed ongoing developments regarding strategic transport connections, specifically the proposed Zangezur Corridor, which is designed to connect mainland Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. Hajiyev indicated that technical signals from both Armenia and international partners, including the United States, suggest that comprehensive feasibility studies for the transit route are nearing completion, opening the possibility for physical construction to begin before the end of the year. On the Azerbaijani side, construction of a divided highway stretching from Baku to Zangilan is close to completion, alongside parallel railway projects. At the same time, rail infrastructure within Nakhchivan is undergoing complete modernization while Türkiye progresses on the Kars-Igdir railway link. Once all segments are linked, the project will establish a direct rail line connecting Nakhchivan with Türkiye and the broader regional transit grid.
Concluding his remarks, Hajiyev reflected on the historical bond between Azerbaijan and Türkiye, characterizing the alliance as a deep brotherhood passed down through generations. He forcefully dismissed any external or internal attempts to create division between Baku and Ankara, describing critics who attempt to undermine Turkish-Azerbaijani unity as traitors whose efforts are destined to fail. Hajiyev reaffirmed that bilateral strategic cooperation between the two nations will continue to strengthen under the shared political will of their leaders and citizens, serving as a pillar of security and economic development throughout the South Caucasus.
