Pashinyan Sets 2031 Deadline for Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Deal

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced a goal to have a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan signed and ratified by 2031. During a government meeting, Pashinyan described the deadline as a priority for his political team and part of his personal agenda. He proposed that the agreement ensure Armenia maintains a territory of 29,743 square kilometers, with any disputes over enclaves and exclaves resolved through the exchange of territories of precisely corresponding sizes.

Pashinyan stated that border delimitation and demarcation must be based on the Alma-Ata Declaration and that all communication routes remain open. He noted that preliminary contacts with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Turkmenistan suggest an opportunity to shape the peace process along these lines.

Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan supported this approach, stating that an exchange of enclaves and exclaves is a possible solution for border disputes. Mirzoyan outlined theoretical options for resolution, including maintaining current holdings or allocating equivalent land parcels along the border. He clarified that any transfer of Armenia's internationally recognized territory to another state in exchange for other land would require a nationwide referendum.