Armenia and Azerbaijan Begin Joint Borders Demarcation Amidst Protests: Moving Towards Peaceful Resolution of Century-Old Conflicts?

Armenia and Azerbaijan have announced the start of their common borders demarcation, a significant step towards resolving the conflicts that have plagued the region for over a century. The Armenian Ministry of the Interior confirmed that experts from both countries are working together to clarify coordinates based on a geodesic study. On the other hand, the Ministry of the Interior of Azerbaijan stated that they are beginning to demarcate their borders without any transfer of territory.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan recently agreed to return four border towns to Azerbaijan, which sparked protests by Armenians near the border fearing isolation and loss of property to Azerbaijan. Protests continued in different regions of Armenia, with concerns over border disputes and potential new conflicts with Azerbaijan. However, it is essential to note that this agreement was made without any transfer of territory or any change in borders.

Both countries were former Soviet republics and have faced off in two wars – one in the 1990s and another in 2020 – resulting in thousands of casualties on both sides. After Armenia’s defeat in 2020, it had to relinquish control over significant parts of Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan, ending a decades-long conflict in the region.

The demarcation of borders based on Soviet-era maps is seen as a necessary step towards preventing further conflicts between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Both countries acknowledge its importance in maintaining peace and stability in the region. The process is expected to take several months before it’s complete, but it is hopeful that this will pave the way for lasting peace between these two neighboring countries.