n August 2025, Azerbaijan and Armenia initialed a joint declaration on the cessation of hostilities and their intention to build interstate relations based on respect for borders and sovereignty. This step marked a significant milestone in the history of the South Caucasus, opening the door to sustainable peace and stable development in the region. The end of armed conflict creates the preconditions for economic cooperation, including trade, infrastructure development, and transport corridors, which can strengthen connectivity between countries and promote regional integration. The opening of new transport routes through the South Caucasus will strengthen logistical ties between the states and facilitate the transit of goods and passengers, creating the conditions for shared economic growth.

AZERTAC presents an interview with Joseph Kéchichian, a senior fellow at the Royal Centre for Research and Islamic Studies in Riyadh, an expert on the Middle East and South Caucasus, a conflict and regional security analyst, an author, and a consultant on international relations and diplomacy.

- In August 2025, Azerbaijan and Armenia initialed a joint declaration on the cessation of hostilities and the intention to establish interstate relations based on respect for borders and sovereignty. What long-term positive consequences could this move have for sustainable peace in the region?

- Regional stability is ensured whenever two neighboring countries involved in warfare cease hostilities and agree to establish relations based on respect of borders and each other’s sovereignties.

Naturally, for peace to become a long-term proposition, both parties must adopt mutually beneficial steps, starting with an acknowledgement of past differences.

This is easier said than done but not impossible if intentions are good and humane. And this is where leadership can play an important role: those who elevate the long-term interests of their populations versus those who ignore them.

- How do you assess the potential of economic cooperation between Baku and Yerevan—for example, in trade, infrastructure, and transport—for strengthening trust between peoples? What successful models could you identify?

- Economic cooperation can motivate parties involved in conflicts to mitigate their ideological straightjackets. Before the European Union became a global center of power, historical foes France and Germany agreed to initiate specific programs [steel in their case] to boost trade between the two countries, and thus develop confidence. Early accords build trust among two peoples that fought bloody wars. Baku and Yerevan can embark on similar programs, focusing on a few specific issues to build trust. This will take time but it is doable and must be encouraged.

- The project to open transport and logistics corridors through the South Caucasus could promote connections between the countries and regional integration. What mechanisms, in your opinion, are the most effective for implementing such initiatives?

- Whatever mechanisms officials in the two countries can agree to will be acceptable and there are no shortages of ideas. These are best left to technical staff members who will devise appropriate initiatives.

- What role can cultural, educational, and civil society exchanges between Azerbaijan and Armenia play in strengthening long-term peaceful relations?

- Cultural, educational, and civil society exchanges between Azerbaijan and Armenia are the most challenging, yet most promising, avenue toward sustainable peace. Unlike political and economic agreements, which can be reached relatively quickly, public, and cultural perceptions are formed gradually and cannot be imposed.

This is precisely why such exchanges are so valuable: they help dispel stereotypes, strengthen mutual understanding, and lay a solid foundation for long-term peace based on trust and human dialogue.

Wise leaders who sincerely seek peace in the Caucasus must work to educate their societies, refrain from loud and aggressive statements that only add fuel to the fire, emphasize positive interactions, encourage intellectual exchanges, and, in general, strive for creativity.

- The peace process requires rebuilding trust. What practical steps can the leaderships of Azerbaijan and Armenia take to lay the foundation for socio-political trust between their peoples?

- Building trust is one of the most difficult tasks facing leaders, and only a few succeed. It all begins with respect, of course, but it goes beyond that. Other components are also necessary: ethics and norms. Universal ethical values, enshrined in formal codes and laws, must be applied across the region.