Armenian premier says there will be no war with Azerbaijan despite ‘provocations’

ISTANBUL

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Friday that there will be no war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, despite what he described as internal and external "provocations," without providing any further details about potential threats.

“Despite all the internal and external provocations, there will be no war between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan. There will be peace,” Pashinyan said in a statement issued by his office on Victory Day, which is observed on May 9 in Russia and some former Soviet states, to mark the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany during World War II.

He said they have the opportunity to contribute to the “peaceful and prosperous future” of the South Caucasus region, adding that a peace deal between Baku and Yerevan has been agreed upon and is awaiting signature.

“Our region has earned the right to live in peace and prosperity, and this is how it should be,” Pashinyan said.

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

Azerbaijan regained most of the territory during a 44-day war in the fall of 2020, which ended after a Russian-brokered peace agreement that opened the door to normalization and demarcation talks.

In September 2023, Azerbaijan established full sovereignty in Karabakh after separatist forces in the region surrendered.

Despite reaching a consensus on a peace agreement in March, both Baku and Yerevan have yet to sign the deal and have accused each other of cross-border attacks.