Armenia and Azerbaijan seal draft peace deal to end decades of conflict

As dusk settles over the South Caucasus, under the shadow of a 40-year struggle, Armenia and Azerbaijan unveiled a finalized peace treaty on Thursday, raising cautious hope for stability in the fractious South Caucasus (via Reuters).

The deal, born from sporadic talks since Azerbaijan reclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh last year, faces delays as Baku demands Yerevan amend its constitution—a step Armenia's leader has acknowledged but not yet acted upon.

Notably, the deal reportedly bars third-country forces—including Russia and European Union—from operating along the militarized 1,000-km frontier. Diplomatic wrangling continues, however, as mutual distrust simmers.