Armenia and Azerbaijan have jointly released the initialed text of an Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Inter-State Relations, setting out a framework to conclude a “just, comprehensive and lasting peace” and to build good‑neighborly ties. The draft pact affirms the mutual recognition of sovereignty, territorial integrity, the inviolability of borders, and political independence, all of which are anchored in the UN Charter, the 1970 Declaration on Friendly Relations, the 1975 Helsinki Final Act, and the 1991 Almaty Declaration.
The document was published by the Armenian Foreign Ministry under the title “Armenian Foreign Ministry Publication of the initialed Agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan” on August 11, 2025, noting it was released “by mutual agreement” of the parties.
Core Commitments
Borders and territorial claims: The parties confirm that the former USSR republic boundaries constitute their international borders and pledge to respect them (Article I). They renounce any present or future territorial claims and any acts aimed at dismembering or impairing the other’s territorial integrity or political unity (Article II).
Use of force and non-interference: Both sides undertake to refrain from the use or threat of force and to prevent any third party from using their territories to that end (Article III). They also pledge non-intervention in each other’s internal affairs (Article IV).
Diplomatic relations and border process: Within a specified period after the exchange of instruments of ratification—left blank in the initialed text—Armenia and Azerbaijan will establish diplomatic relations in line with the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular Relations (Article V). They will pursue good‑faith negotiations via their border commissions to conclude delimitation and demarcation (Article VI).
Security along the frontier: No third-party forces will be deployed along the mutual border. Pending delimitation/demarcation, the sides will implement mutually agreed-upon security and confidence-building measures, including in the military sphere (Article VII).
Combating extremism and intolerance: The parties condemn and will combat intolerance, racial hatred and discrimination, separatism, violent extremism, and terrorism within their jurisdictions, consistent with applicable international obligations (Article VIII).
Missing persons: Armenia and Azerbaijan commit to addressing cases of disappeared persons and enforced disappearances from their conflict, including exchanging available information, searching for and returning remains, and ensuring justice through proper investigations. Detailed modalities will be set in a separate agreement (Article IX).
Sectoral cooperation: The agreement foresees potential accords in economic, transit and transport, environmental, humanitarian, and cultural fields (Article X).
Legal Architecture and Implementation:
The pact will not infringe upon existing international obligations, and each state will ensure that no third-party engagement undermines this agreement (Article XI). Neither party may cite domestic law to justify non‑performance and will refrain—consistent with the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties—from acts defeating the agreement’s object and purpose before it enters into force (Article XII).
A bilateral commission will oversee implementation (Article XIII). Disputes over interpretation or application should first be addressed through direct consultations, including within that commission. If unresolved after six months, other peaceful means will be sought (Article XIV).
Within one month of entry into force, both sides will withdraw or settle all interstate claims, complaints, protests, objections, proceedings, and disputes predating the signing. They will refrain from hostile actions in diplomatic, informational, and other fields, while holding regular consultations to prevent such actions (Article XV).
Entry into force will follow completion of internal procedures as per national law, and the agreement will be registered under Article 102 of the UN Charter (Article XVI). The text is authentic in Armenian, Azerbaijani, and English, with the English version prevailing in case of divergence (Article XVII).
Because the text is “initialed,” it signifies agreement at the negotiators’ level but still requires formal ratification and completion of internal procedures in both countries before it can take effect. The specific timeline for establishing diplomatic relations will be finalized upon ratification of the agreement.
Photo: Armenian Foreign Ministry