Baku: Azerbaijan is set to amend the Preamble of the Constitution of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, removing references to the historical Moscow and Kars agreements, APA reports. This change is outlined in the draft Constitutional Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan titled “On the approval of amendments to the Constitution of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic,” which will be discussed during the upcoming session of the Milli Majlis, the Azerbaijani Parliament.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the current Preamble acknowledges the Moscow Treaty of March 16, 1921, and the Kars Treaty of October 13, 1921, as foundational to Nakhchivan’s autonomy. These international treaties have historically confirmed Nakhchivan’s status as an integral part of Azerbaijan and have delineated its territorial boundaries. Nakhchivan’s political status evolved over the years, initially recognized as the Nakhchivan Soviet Socialist Republic in 1921, then as the Nakhchivan Region in 1923, and later as the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in 1924. Since November 17, 1990, it has been known as the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
The current Constitution of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is based on the Republic of Azerbaijan’s Constitution, which was adopted by nationwide referendum on November 12, 1995. The proposed amendment seeks to redefine the Preamble, asserting that the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is an inseparable part of the Republic of Azerbaijan. This new version bases its foundation on the principles from the Declaration ‘On the Restoration of the Independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan’ dated August 30, 1991, the Constitutional Act ‘On the State Independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan’ dated October 18, 1991, and the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan.