**Armenia and Azerbaijan Take a Crucial Step Towards Peace**
After decades of conflict, Armenia and Azerbaijan have made a significant breakthrough in their efforts to achieve peace. The two countries have published the text of a 17-point peace agreement initialed on August 8 during a trilateral summit with the United States in Washington, D.C.
**A New Era of Cooperation?**
The document affirms mutual recognition of each country’s borders as defined during the Soviet Union era, effectively putting an end to territorial disputes. This is a crucial step towards establishing a lasting peace between the two nations, which have been sworn enemies for decades. The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh region has resulted in two wars and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people.
**A Breakthrough After Years of Effort**
Despite previous talks aimed at a peaceful resolution, including a meeting last month in the United Arab Emirates, a breakthrough had proven elusive until now. However, with this agreement, Armenia and Azerbaijan have finally succeeded in making peace, as stated by U.S. President Donald Trump during a ceremony where the leaders of both countries signed a joint declaration on peace and bilateral economic agreements.
**The Terms of the Agreement**
According to the 17-point document, both countries pledged to refrain from using or threatening force against each other’s territorial integrity or political independence. They also agreed not to interfere in one another’s internal affairs and not to deploy third-party forces along their shared border. Diplomatic relations will be established once the sides exchange “instruments of ratification,” with further talks to follow on border delimitation and demarcation.
**A Path Forward**
The agreement provides for the creation of a bilateral commission to oversee its implementation and requires both countries to withdraw mutual claims in international courts within a month of the deal taking effect. This is a significant step towards establishing a lasting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and it’s essential that both sides commit to implementing this agreement in good faith.
**What’s Next?**
The future of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations will depend on how effectively they implement this agreement. The international community will be closely watching the developments, hoping that this breakthrough marks the beginning of a new era of cooperation between the two nations. As President Trump said during the ceremony, “Many tried to find a resolution… and they were unsuccessful. With this accord, we’ve finally succeeded in making peace.”
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