On April 23, Armenia and Azerbaijan took a significant step towards normalizing their relations following a prolonged conflict over territory. Experts from both countries collaborated to demarcate their boundaries, marking the placement of the first border marker.
The first border sign has been installed in the Tavush-Kazakh section of the Armenia-Azerbaijan state border. pic.twitter.com/5My9zR6tkE
— Nikol Pashinyan (@NikolPashinyan) April 23, 2024
The nations are actively pursuing a peace treaty, particularly after Azerbaijan regained control of the Karabakh province, which ethnic Armenian forces had held since the 1990s. A six-week war in 2020 led to Azerbaijan reclaiming substantial portions of the breakaway region. Subsequently, in September 2023, Azerbaijani forces initiated a swift offensive that compelled Karabakh’s Armenian authorities to concede in negotiations mediated by Russian forces.
Brief Explanation of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Case
Recently, Armenia and Azerbaijan reached an agreement regarding a section of the border that would traverse four Armenian villages in the Tavush province, signalling Armenia’s concession of territory to Azerbaijan.
On April 23, Armenian and Azerbaijani authorities announced the installation of the first border marker. However, the exact location of its placement remained unclear.
In response, protests erupted in Armenia, with demonstrators blocking roads in the northeastern region affected by the proposed border and setting up roadblocks along other key routes, including one leading to neighbouring Georgia. Images from Armenian and Russian media depicted cars and trucks lining country lanes as protesters gathered around them.
Despite the tensions, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev indicated that Baku and Yerevan were moving closer to a mutual understanding of a potential peace agreement.
Armenia’s Prime Minister emphasized the urgency of defining the border with Azerbaijan to prevent further hostilities. Many residents in Armenia’s border regions resist the demarcation, viewing it as encroachment by Azerbaijan on their territories.
Earlier this month, Russia commenced the withdrawal of its forces from Karabakh, where they had been stationed as peacekeepers under a Moscow-brokered truce following the 2020 war. The peacekeepers’ responsibilities included ensuring unimpeded passage on the sole road connecting Karabakh with Armenia. However, Azerbaijan began blocking the road in late 2022, alleging arms smuggling and mineral smuggling by Armenians, with Russian forces refraining from intervention.
Following months of worsening shortages of food and medicine in Karabakh due to the blockade, Azerbaijan launched its offensive last year. As a result, the vast majority of Karabakh’s nearly 120,000 population fled to Armenia, although Azerbaijan stated they were welcome to remain and promised to safeguard their human rights.
Strategic Implications and Efforts for Lasting Peace
Nearby Armenian villagers express concerns about potential isolation and the risk of their homes falling under Azerbaijani control. This area holds strategic importance for landlocked Armenia, particularly sections of the highway crucial for foreign trade, which may fall into Azerbaijani territory. The delimited border also impacts a major Russian gas pipeline and offers advantageous military positions. Prime Minister Pashinyan stresses the urgency of resolving remaining border disputes with Azerbaijan to prevent further conflict. He announces the replacement of Russian border guards, deployed since 1992, with Armenian servicemen. Pashinyan views border delimitation as a significant step toward peace, transitioning from a line of contact to a defined border. Last autumn, Azerbaijan reclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenian separatists, marking a pivotal moment in the decades-long conflict. Despite prospects for a broader peace agreement, unresolved territorial disputes pose ongoing risks of escalation.
Recent Update: Armenia Agrees to Return Villages to Azerbaijan in Historic Step Towards Peace Deal
Armenia and Azerbaijan have reached a significant milestone in their efforts to forge a peace deal, with Armenia agreeing to return several villages to Azerbaijan. The villages, which have been under Armenian control since the early 1990s are situated near the countries’ shared border. Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs hailed the move as a “long-awaited historic event,” signalling progress in resolving the longstanding conflict between the two nations. In response, Armenia’s Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, emphasized the reduction in risks associated with border delimitation and security for Armenia. While the handover primarily involves “two and a half villages,” the demarcation of the border marks a significant step forward. These strategically important settlements, though deserted, lie close to Armenia’s main highway north towards the border with Georgia, facilitating crucial trade routes and access to vital infrastructure such as gas pipelines from Russia. The agreement was reached at a meeting chaired by the deputy prime ministers of both countries, underscoring the commitment to dialogue and negotiation in resolving the conflict.
‼️Long-awaited historic event: 📢
As a result of the 8th meeting of the State Commissions on the delimitation of the state border between #Azerbaijan and #Armenia, Armenia has agreed to return 4 villages of Azerbaijan that were under the occupation since early 1990s. pic.twitter.com/qoHA9urFKv
— Aykhan Hajizada (@Aykhanh) April 19, 2024
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