The uti possidetis juris principle as the cornerstone of the peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan: background and legal application

Abstract

The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over control of the Karabakh region has lasted nearly four decades. The joint announce-ment by the two governments on March 13, 2025, of a peace agreement represents a significant step toward signing a peace treaty between the two countries. The parties have invoked two conflicting legal instru-ments throughout these decades of conflict. While Armenia has in-voked the right to self-determination of Karabakh, Azerbaijan has in-voked the principle of territorial integrity and the United Nations reso-lutions that protected it. An analysis of the announcement of the peace treaty leads to the con-clusion that the conflict is on the way to resolution, with a clear victory for Azerbaijan's principle of territorial integrity over the principle of self-determination of Karabakh invoked by Armenia. This study ana-lyzes the legal instruments invoked by the parties during the conflict and how the Uti Possidetis Juris principle has prevailed as the corner-stone of the future peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Therefore, the research begins with a study of the geopolitical and his-torical framework. In addition, the origin of the principle of uti possi-detis juris in public international law doctrine and practice is analyzed. The content of the announced peace agreement and the most sensitive issues still pending resolution, such as the reform of the Armenian Con-stitution, border delimitation, and the Zangezur Corridor, are analyzed.