Armenian and Azerbaijani officials said on Thursday that they had agreed the text of a peace agreement to end nearly four decades of conflict between the South Caucasus countries, a sudden breakthrough in a fitful and often bitter peace process.

YEREVAN—The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) announced on March 13 the completion of negotiations on the draft treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia. According to the MFA, Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed on the non-deployment of third-party forces along the border and the withdrawal of legal claims from international courts.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed on the text of a peace agreement, potentially ending over 35 years of conflict, though Azerbaijan has set several preconditions before signing.