Significant Change in Nakhchivan's Constitution: References to Moscow and Kars Treaties Abolished
From Nakhchivan's Basic Law, Moscow and - President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev approved significant changes to the Constitution of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic on March 10. These innovations include the removal of references to certain international treaties of historical importance from the autonomous republic's supreme law.
The basis of these changes is the removal of references to the 1921 Moscow and Kars treaties from the Nakhchivan Constitution. These treaties were considered international legal documents that defined Nakhchivan's status and ensured its autonomy within Azerbaijan.
The Moscow Treaty was signed on March 16, 1921, between the Government of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and Soviet Russia. According to this document, the territory of Nakhchivan was to have autonomous status under the protection of Azerbaijan. The Kars Treaty, signed on October 13 of the same year between Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the Georgian SSR, confirmed the terms of the Moscow Treaty.
The emphasis on Turkey's special role in protecting Nakhchivan's status in these treaties was a historical reality. The removal of these references from the Constitution aims to further strengthen Azerbaijan's sovereignty over Nakhchivan and adapt the autonomous republic's legal framework to the requirements of the modern era.
These changes also demonstrate Azerbaijan's desire to update its domestic legislation without prejudice to its existing obligations within the framework of international treaties and regional cooperation. This step allows Azerbaijan to express its position on Nakhchivan's future legal and political status more decisively in the international arena.
Experts evaluate this decision as a clear example of Azerbaijan's principled stance on its territorial integrity and sovereignty. The renewal of the Constitution of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is a significant step towards its full alignment with modern state-building principles.