Armenia’s Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, wants the new Armenian Constitution that his government intends to put to a referendum to exclude – unlike the current text – any reference to the Declaration of Independence, which explicitly mentions the region of Karabakh in Azerbaijan.
According to the Armenian news agency Armenpress, the country’s current constitution does mention that declaration in its preamble; however, Pashinyan argued that the Declaration of Independence contained in Armenia’s current constitution, which refers to Karabakh, is based on a logic of confrontation.
“I know there are many discussions on this issue, particularly about whether the text of the new Constitution should include a reference to the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Armenia. I have clearly stated my position on this matter, saying that the new Constitution should not contain a reference to the Declaration of Independence. And what is the reasoning behind this? It is very simple”, said the prime minister.
The Armenian politician explained that, if a new constitutional text retaining that reference were adopted, it would mean giving continuity to the movement in favour of Karabakh’s independence. “That means we are resuming the conflict with Azerbaijan“: “That means peace will not be possible“, he warned.
“We must focus on the real Armenia”
Pashinyan added that retaining that constitutional reference would also mean embracing narratives such as “Western Armenia” or “Armenia from sea to sea” (from the Caspian to the Mediterranean, in reference to the reign of Tigranes II the Great: 95–55 BC): “We must clearly and sincerely focus on the ideology of ‘Real Armenia.’ Our ideology is that we must concentrate on the internationally recognized sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia and on ensuring the security and well-being of the citizens of Armenia,” Nikol Pashinyan explained.
In this regard, the Armenian Prime Minister recalled that in 2024 he had already publicly announced his decision not to continue with the movement in favour of Karabakh, and therefore urged his citizens to take to the streets and remove him as Prime Minister if they did not share that stance. “We will no longer delve into who once lived where. We are closing the Karabakh issue. Only in this way can we achieve peace”, he emphasized.
Finally, Pashinyan explained that the implementation of the so-called Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) or Zangezur Corridor, designed to connect Azerbaijan with the Azerbaijani autonomous republic of Nakhchivan via Armenian territory, along with the signing and ratification of a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, will be key steps towards consolidating a lasting peace in the South Caucasus. On the subject of Russia, the Prime Minister stated that Armenia would continue to pursue constructive and mutually beneficial relations with Moscow, but emphasised that relations with the Kremlin must adapt to what he described as new realities in the region.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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