Pashinyan proposes roadmap to end 'Western Azerbaijan' and Karabakh return claims

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Thursday proposed that Armenia and Azerbaijan adopt a joint roadmap to simultaneously close the issues of Azerbaijan’s “Western Azerbaijan” narrative and the return of Karabakh Armenians.

Speaking to reporters in Hamburg, Pashinyan said Baku continues to invoke the “Western Azerbaijan” concept while objecting to Armenia’s references to Karabakh Armenians. He reiterated that the idea of return is “not realistic”, warning that keeping it on the agenda risks reigniting the Karabakh movement, which “has ended".

Pashinyan urged Azerbaijan to take up his offer for a public, structured process aimed at removing both issues from bilateral discourse, saying it would reduce the risk of future conflict. He added that Armenia has recognized Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and expects full reciprocity, stressing that “there can be no ‘Western Azerbaijan’ in the Republic of Armenia”.