Bayramov's Revelations or Leaks, 5 Years Later?

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, in an interview with Azerbaijani media, has revealed a number of noteworthy details about the diplomatic processes that took place before and during the 44-day war. His statements relate to an alternative ceasefire option proposed by Russia, the change in the position of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and the intervention of French President Emmanuel Macron.

Bayramov referred to the contacts between Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. According to him, at the first meeting in Dushanbe in 2018, in response to Aliyev's statement that "Azerbaijani lands must be liberated," Pashinyan's position was "quite constructive." "I have just come to power and will take the necessary steps to resolve the conflict," Pashinyan reportedly said, asking to stop the shooting on the border.

However, according to Bayramov, in 2019 Pashinyan had completely changed his position, stating that he would not resolve the conflict. As a justification, he offered the following argument: "If I do that, they will kill me." In response, Aliyev noted that this could not be an excuse "for the continued occupation of Azerbaijani lands." And, in fact, from that moment on, the war became inevitable.

According to Bayramov, before the signing of the trilateral declaration of November 9, 2020, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov presented the parties with a short document containing other ceasefire conditions. That proposal envisaged an unconditional ceasefire from November 9, without the condition of transferring the regions outside the former NKAO to Azerbaijan's control.

Under this option, Russian peacekeepers and Azerbaijani armed forces were to be deployed in the eastern part of the line of contact, and Russian peacekeepers and Armenian armed forces in the western part. This proposal, however, was not implemented.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Minister also reported that during the 44-day war, French President Emmanuel Macron repeatedly called Aliyev and threatened to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh if Azerbaijan did not stop. In response, Aliyev stated that France could do so, but it would change nothing for Baku, and in the event of such a step, Azerbaijan would immediately sever all diplomatic relations with Paris.