During an interview with BBC, Vahan Kostanyan, Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia, shared his perspective on the Armenia-Azerbaijan settlement process and developments in the South Caucasus. He highlighted that while Azerbaijan may express interest in finalizing a peace treaty with Armenia, moving beyond words and focusing on concrete actions is crucial.

Vahan Kostanyan emphasized that Azerbaijan appears hesitant to conclude a peace treaty based on principles endorsed by the international community. He noted that Azerbaijan has consistently refused to participate in negotiations aimed at settling.

He conveyed that the Armenian side is dedicated to the establishment of peace, discussions on relevant issues, and normalization of relations with Azerbaijan. He stressed that for progress to be made, Azerbaijan needs to recognize the territorial integrity of Armenia, and there should be no uncertainties regarding this matter.

“It is necessary to have a clear border following the declaration of Almaty. Besides, it is necessary to reach an agreement on the principles of opening [regional] transport communications, which will take into account and respect the sovereignty of the countries,” Kostanyan said.

Vahan Kostanyan addressed statements from the Azerbaijani side regarding the return of Armenians forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh. He pointed out that, as of now, none of the Armenians who left their ancestral homeland have returned, suggesting that there are concerns about the adequacy of security guarantees. 

Earlier, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan affirmed the country’s commitment to the peace agenda within the framework of three agreed-upon principles. He expressed hope that recent events in the region, including those involving regional countries, would not result in an artificial delay in the peace process.

“If there is more basis to this view, it must be cause for very deep concern,” he added during a reception at the Armenian Foreign Ministry.

Meanwhile, Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, conveyed the UN’s readiness to assist Armenia and Azerbaijan in the process of normalizing relations. This statement was made in an interview with the US Bureau of the Report news agency. 

“The UN does not need to play a leading role everywhere in solving peace and security problems. It knows that when solving the issues between Azerbaijan and Armenia, other countries have already taken the initiative to find a peaceful solution. The UN Secretary-General doesn’t want to involve himself in something just for the sake of being involved and maybe complicating matters,” Dujarric said.