Armenia’s Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan told parliament on Tuesday that a final decision has not been made on whether the process to delimit the borders between Armenia and Azerbaijan would start in Tavush, as was signaled last month by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
He told lawmakers that until other important issues, such as security, socio-economic principles and legal concerns are ironed out, a final decision about border delimitation negotiation cannot be reached.
When meeting with local Tavush residents last month, Pashinyan said that the border delimitation process could start in the province, where the issue of the potential return of four villages to Azerbaijan remains a contentious issue.
Pashinyan had also contended that four villages being demanded by Baku were not part of sovereign Armenia as it pertained to the 1991 Alma Ata declaration, based on which Yerevan is calling for the delimitation process to proceed.
This has angered not only Tavush residents but also opposition members, who are accusing Pashinyan of ceding more territory to Azerbaijan.
Tuesday’s hearing in parliament was an attempt to respond to opposition concerns.
“The decision to start the delimitation from that part can be made when there is a consensus on the rest of the fundamental issues,” Grigoryan said Tuesday.
