Rebuilding mutual trust and promoting regional peace is something that Armenia and Azerbaijan are actively working to achieve. The two countries affirm their conviction in a singular historical chance to bring about enduring peace in a joint declaration.
They are dedicated to restoring diplomatic ties and drafting a peace agreement based on the ideas of territorial integrity and sovereignty. The declaration emphasizes Armenia's and Azerbaijan's continued commitment to normalization and the pursuit of a complete peace accord.
Azerbaijan will free 32 Armenian prisoners of war as part of the ongoing peace process, and Yerevan will free two Azerbaijani personnel in return. Both sides see this prisoner swap as a genuine act of goodwill, grounded in humanitarian principles.
European Council President Charles Michel praised the recent developments in the peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan, considering them a significant breakthrough. He emphasized that fostering and strengthening bilateral dialogue has been a central objective of the EU-led Brussels process.
Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the US State Department, also commended the initiative, viewing the commitment as a crucial confidence-building measure. He highlighted its importance as both sides strive to finalize a peace agreement and normalize their relations.
Turkey expressed its support for the agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, endorsing the decision to continue negotiations for additional confidence-building measures. They expressed a desire for the swift signing of a peace agreement related to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, emphasizing its pivotal role in establishing permanent peace and stability in the South Caucasus.
Following the near-full-blown conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan in September 2023, during which Baku seized control of the entire Artsakh republic, peace negotiations offer a welcome reprieve. Armenians saw this as an additional act of ethnic cleansing by ethnic Turks against their communities, which has a long history.
Vahan Kostanyan, the deputy foreign minister of Armenia, voiced hope for a peace accord. "We are restating our determination to normalize our relations with Azerbaijan through the signing of a treaty. However, we need reciprocal acts and indications from the Azerbaijani side in order to seal the deal."
He underlined that the Granada declaration contains the aforementioned principles.