Armenia sees 'regression' on issue of signing peace treaty with Azerbaijan

There has been "some regression" in Azerbaijan's proposal for a peace treaty with Armenia, its southern Caucasus neighbor, said the Armenian foreign minister on Wednesday.

"In some parts (of the draft treaty) there is regression, and in some there is progress," Ararat Mirzoyan told a news conference in the capital Yerevan after meeting with his Greek counterpart Giorgos Gerapetritis.

"We have worked very constructively on these proposals and sent them to Baku," he said.

Mirzoyan highlighted Armenia's priorities for a peace treaty: A recognition of Armenia's territorial integrity by Azerbaijan and "clear delimitation of state borders."

The transport and other communications in the region must be restored "on the principles of bilateralism and within the framework of the sovereignty of those countries through which they must pass," he said.

Mirzoyan said Armenia is looking to continue the talks with Azerbaijan.

Turning to the EU monitoring mission that is deployed on the border with Azerbaijan, Mirzoyan said it has "vital importance" for his country.

"The EU civil mission is very important for us, vital from the point of view of security. We welcomed the EU's decision to expand this mission," he said.

Gerapetritis, for his part, remarked that Athens supports the resumption of talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan towards consolidating security and stability in the South Caucasus.

"The guiding principle for both sides must be the achievement of a lasting, just, and sustainable regional peace and good neighborly relations," he said.

Gerapetritis also asserted that Athens will work to strengthen the EU-Armenia institutional dialogue.

Relations between the two former Soviet republics have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

Most of the territory was liberated by Azerbaijan during a war in the fall of 2020. The process ended in September 2023 during a one-day anti-terrorism operation.