Armenians Torn Between Hope and Doubt After Azerbaijan Accord

The streets of Yerevan were almost deserted on Saturday due to the intense summer heat. Yet, in the shaded parks and near fountains, Armenians wrestled with the implications of the peace accord signed the previous day in Washington.

Background: A Historic Peace Treaty

The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan—two Caucasian nations long embroiled in territorial conflict since the dissolution of the USSR—met on Friday and signed a peace treaty under the supervision of then-US President Donald Trump.

However, the response in Yerevan was far from enthusiastic, with many citizens expressing mixed feelings about the accord.

Voices from Yerevan: Hope and Reservations

Supporters of the Accord

Asatur Srapyan, an 81-year-old retiree, acknowledged that Armenia “has no other choice” but to accept the document. While he believes the agreement offers limited gains, he considers it a positive step towards peace.

“We are very few in number, we don’t have a powerful army, we don’t have a powerful ally behind us, unlike Azerbaijan. This accord is a good opportunity for peace,” he said.

Similarly, 31-year-old aspiring diplomat Maro Huneyan called the pact “acceptable” provided it aligns with Armenia’s constitution. She stressed the importance of Azerbaijan honouring the agreement, though she remains sceptical.

“If Azerbaijan respects all the agreements, it’s very important for us. But I’m not sure it will keep its promises and respect the points of the agreement,” she added.

Critics Voice Strong Opposition

Conversely, 69-year-old Anahit Eylasyan vehemently criticised the treaty, particularly the plan to create a transit zone across Armenian territory to connect Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan exclave with the rest of Azerbaijan.

“We are effectively losing control of our territory. It’s as if, in my own apartment, I had to ask a stranger if I could go from one room to another,” she explained.

She also expressed concerns about Russia, Armenia’s traditional ally, potentially being pushed out of the region.

“I hope we won’t see Russia expelled,” she said, while accusing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of “endless concessions” to Azerbaijan.

“We got nothing in exchange — not our prisoners, nor our occupied lands, nothing. It’s just a piece of paper to us,” she fumed.

Shavarsh Hovhannisyan, a 68-year-old construction engineer, echoed these concerns, labelling the agreement “an administrative formality that brings nothing to Armenia.”

“We can’t trust Azerbaijan,” he said, accusing Pashinyan of turning his back on Russia and Iran.

“It’s more of a surrender document than a peace treaty, while Trump only thinks about his image, the Nobel Prize.”

International Perspective and Future Outlook

President Donald Trump asserted that Armenia and Azerbaijan had committed:

• To cease all fighting permanently
• To open commerce, travel, and diplomatic relations
• To respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity

Olesya Vartanyan, an independent researcher specialising in the Caucasus region, viewed the Washington agreement as bringing “greater stability and more guarantees for the months, if not years, to come.”

However, she cautioned that given the deep-rooted tensions, the arrangement might only ensure peace in the very short term.

“I fear that we will have to plan only for the very short term,” she said.

Summary Table: Key Elements of the Peace Accord

This accord marks a potentially historic step towards peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan but is met with a complex mixture of hope, scepticism, and concern among the Armenian population.