Azerbaijan Confirms Plans for Land Swaps, Armenia Stands Firm on Sovereignty

An Azerbaijani expert visiting Yerevan for the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Rose-Roth Seminar once again revealed the double standards of Baku’s policy toward Armenia and Artsakh. Murad Muradov, deputy director of the Topchubashov Center, claimed that Armenia’s Declaration of Independence contains “territorial demands” against Azerbaijan. He argued that this is the only obstacle to signing a final peace agreement.

By framing Armenia’s founding declaration as a problem, Azerbaijan is attempting to rewrite history and distract from its own actions. The reality is that since 2020, Azerbaijan has pursued a campaign of aggression against Armenia and Artsakh. Baku invaded sovereign Armenian territory in 2021 and 2022, and its forces continue to occupy positions inside Armenia. At the same time, Azerbaijan illegally holds 23 Armenian captives, including political and military leaders of Artsakh, keeping them in isolation and denying international access for months.

Muradov tried to justify Azerbaijan’s Constitution, which itself makes vague references to undefined borders, by claiming that it does not amount to territorial claims. At the same time, he dismissed Baku’s official rhetoric of “Western Azerbaijan” as simply a matter of cultural heritage. In reality, this campaign has been used to openly deny Armenia’s sovereignty and fuel irredentist claims against Armenia’s territory.

When pressed on whether Baku was willing to release Armenian captives as a gesture of peace, Muradov rejected the idea, insisting they are “individuals who violated Azerbaijani law.” He further claimed that prisoners of war had already been released. This ignores the fact that international humanitarian law prohibits the prosecution of prisoners of war, and that the detention of Artsakh’s elected leadership is a clear violation of human rights. For months, Azerbaijan has silenced these captives by blocking access from the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Muradov also admitted that “territorial adjustments” and exchanges of enclaves between Armenia and Azerbaijan are expected. His words confirm Baku’s intentions: Azerbaijan is not interested in peace based on international law but in using pressure to seize more land. Armenia, however, has been consistent in demanding respect for its internationally recognized borders and the release of all captives.

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