James Sharp: Agreement on text of Azerbaijan-Armenia peace treaty is a big step forward

The agreement on the text of the peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia is a big and positive step forward, James Sharp, former British Ambassador to Azerbaijan, told Report in Khankandi.

The diplomat emphasized his great satisfaction with the agreement on the last two points:

The main issue now is when the peace agreement will be signed, he said.

Sharp noted that Armenia wants to sign the agreement now, while Azerbaijan has stated very clearly that amendments to the Armenian Constitution should be made and an agreement should be reached on future issues related to the OSCE Minsk Group.

The diplomat noted that he understood Azerbaijan’s demand and that there were still open issues.

Whether to sign the agreement first and then resolve other issues or to resolve other issues first and then sign the agreement is a matter for the parties to decide, he said, adding that the issue is a bit complicated.

The diplomat emphasized that although the parties have different views on the next steps, the current situation is a very positive stage:

The fact that they have been able to talk to each other without a mediator so far, to negotiate a peace agreement bilaterally and to reach an agreement on all the articles is a positive development, he said. Sharp added that he is very optimistic that this process will bear fruit, that both countries will achieve peace and that the entire region will be able to develop as a result.