Panel at U.S. Helsinki Commission briefing urges U.S. engagement as Armenia and Azerbaijan finalize peace text

WASHINGTON — At a briefing hosted by the U.S. Helsinki Commission on May 15, 2025, parliamentarians from Armenia and scholars urged U.S. officials to press for rapid signing and implementation of a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan while offering a mix of diplomatic incentives and pressure to reduce the risk of renewed hostilities.

Ms. Karapetian, a parliamentarian with the Armenia–U.S. parliamentary friendship group in the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, said the two countries completed the full text of a peace agreement in March 2025 and that Armenia is ready to sign. "We believe that the signing of the peace agreement needs to accompany this joint application to the OSCE to ensure that a signed peace agreement will immediately and permanently take the place of the already obsolete conflict mechanisms," she said.

The panelists described two outstanding conditions cited by Azerbaijan: a joint request to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe to dissolve the conflict-era mechanisms and constitutional amendments in Armenia to remove language Azerbaijan regards as territorial claims. Ms. Karapetian said Armenia prefers the two steps proceed together — signing the treaty and applying jointly to the OSCE — to avoid replacing…