ArmInfo. The Office of Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan, who heads the Armenian commission for delimiting the border with Azerbaijan, told the RFE/RL's Armenian Service that Azerbaijan refuses to accept that it keeps the territory of 31 non-enclave settlements of Armenia under occupation, actually confirming that Baku demands the "return" of 4 villages, not wanting to leave the Armenian territories.
On February 15, at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, recalled that two days earlier, as a result of Azerbaijan's aggressive actions in the direction of Armenian positions located in the Nerkin Hand section (Syunik region), 4 military personnel on combat duty on the state border were killed. He said that Baku's intentions remain the same: to pursue a policy of military coercion towards Armenia. Pashinyan also pointed out that Azerbaijan periodically talks about "the territories of 4 villages," while at the same time refusing to admit that under Azerbaijani occupation there are vital territories of 31 non-enclave villages, from where Baku does not want to leave. "Azerbaijan is trying to start military operations on certain sections of the border with Armenia with the prospect of unleashing a full-scale war against the Republic of Armenia," he emphasized.
As reported in the office of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Azerbaijan voices the following toponyms: Baghanis Ayrum, Nerkin Voskepar (Ashagi Askipara), Kheyrimli, Kyzyl Hajili, while at the same time refusing to admit that the vital territories of 31 non-enclave settlements of Armenia are under Azerbaijani occupation.
The territories claimed by Azerbaijan are located in the Tavush region. There is an interstate highway connecting Armenia with Georgia - through Ijevan, Noyemberyan, Bagratashen.
"Since the last meeting of the Delimitation Commission in January, the parties have not provided any details. Now they refuse to answer whether the issue of 4 and 31 villages was discussed at the last meeting of the delimitation commissions.
In particular, they referred to the operating procedures of the two commissions, saying that clarifications other than the official information of the meetings are unacceptable. This procedure was approved at a government meeting headed by Pashinyan on December 14 last year. When referring to 31 non-enclave settlements and 4 villages, the Prime Minister, did not voice placenames. Mher Grigoryan's office actually published for the first time a detailed list of 31 non-enclave territories claimed by Armenia. Some of these territories came under Azerbaijani control back in the 1990s during the First Karabakh War, others as a result of Azerbaijani invasions in 2021-22.
The territories of these non-enclave settlements, which official Yerevan considers vital, are located in five regions: In Tavush - Berkaber, Sarigyugh, Sevkar, Vazashen, Paravakar, Movses, Artsvaberd, Chinari, Aygedzor;
In Syunik - Kajarants, Salvard, Gorhayk, Sarnakunk, Angeghakot, Aghitu, Noravan, Vaghatin, Verishen, Khoznavar, Tegh, Nerkin Hand;
In Ararat region: Paruyr Sevak;
In Gegharkunik region- Sotk, Kut, Norabak, Nerkin Shorzha, Verin Shorzha, Akunk, Kakhakn, Kutakan;
In Vayots Dzor region- Jermuk.
At the end of last year, RA Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated that 200 square kilometers of Armenia's territories are under Azerbaijani occupation, RFE/RL's Armenian Service recalls.