Azerbaijan urges constitutional change in Armenia, reaffirms support for Turkish Cypriots

ISTANBUL/ANTALYA, Türkiye

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov told Anadolu on Saturday that the signing of a peace agreement with Armenia is impossible unless Yerevan amends its Constitution.

He also underlined Baku’s support for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

Bayramov, speaking on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, where Anadolu is the Global Communication Partner, stated that Armenia must remove territorial claims against Azerbaijan from its Constitution and accept the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group.

“There are critical factors that must be resolved. The most important one is Armenia’s constitutional claims against Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. As long as this continues, a peace deal is not possible. Changing the Armenian Constitution is a non-negotiable requirement,” Bayramov said.

He added that the Minsk Group, co-chaired by the US, France and Russia failed to achieve any results for three decades. “The Karabakh issue is resolved. Karabakh is part of Azerbaijan. Armenia acknowledges this. So why insist on keeping the Minsk Group alive? We demand its formal dissolution,” he said.

Bayramov criticized Western countries, particularly France, for their perceived double standards.

“For 30 years, they said nothing to the occupier. When Azerbaijan restored its territorial integrity, they tried to punish us. But their plans collapsed thanks to our independent foreign policy and the strong support of Türkiye and our friendly states,” he said.

Turning to Turkish Cypriots, Bayramov emphasized that Azerbaijan stands in solidarity.

“We have close, brotherly ties with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Their President, Ersin Tatar, has visited Azerbaijan. Our parliaments have formed friendship groups. TRNC is an observer in the Organization of Turkic States, and we will continue to support its activities.

“This issue must be solved by recognizing equal rights for both the Turkish and Greek communities on the island. Only a fair solution based on justice, historical facts, and international law can bring lasting peace. Our Northern Cypriot brothers can be confident in Azerbaijan’s unwavering support,” he said.

Azerbaijan’s backing of the TRNC comes amid growing calls within the Turkic world for deeper integration and solidarity, including in contested or diplomatically sensitive regions.