Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said the country’s Declaration of Independence should be removed from a new constitution, describing it as a “declaration of conflict” rather than of statehood.

In a live broadcast on Friday, Pashinyan argued that the 1990 document was rooted in the Nagorno-Karabakh movement and territorial claims, rather than the security and welfare of Armenian citizens. “It’s not a declaration of independence, but of conflict,” he said.

The prime minister warned that continuing the Karabakh movement would inevitably lead to “new war”, while abandoning it would open the path to peace. He framed Armenia’s political debate as a choice between a “peace party” and a “war party,” urging voters to decide the country’s direction in upcoming elections.

“Peace will grow stronger every day, and Armenia’s independence and sovereignty will grow stronger every day,” Pashinyan declared, positioning his Civil Contract party as the only force advocating for a constitution without reference to the declaration.