ArmInfo.The importance of this issue should not be overestimated, RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated at a meeting with the Armenian community of Moldova, touching upon the prospect of an exchange of so-called enclaves.
According to Pashinyan, in the encyclopedias of the Soviet Union, published in different years, the territory of Armenia is fixed at an area of 29.8 thousand square kilometers. In this perspective, it is not so important what year the map of the delimitation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border will be based on - 1975 or, for example, 1969, It is the process of the delimitation that is important. Based on this, it is advisable to be guided by the maps approved by the General Staff of the Soviet Union from 1975, since it is assumed that this is the last map approved in this format before the Alma-Ata Declaration until 1991, Pashinyan notes. Touching upon the enclaves, the Prime Minister noted that the issue has both political and legal aspects. The 29.8 thousand square kilometers of the territory of Armenia also include Artsvashen, the territories of the village of Berkaber in the Tavush region, which have been under the control of Azerbaijanis since the early 1990s, as well as Paravakar, Aygehovit, Vazashen, the territories of the Sotk-Khoznavar section, which were occupied during the last aggression. Azerbaijan, for its part, notes that according to the maps of the USSR there are territories that are Azerbaijani, but since 1990s have been under the control of the RA. For our part, we say, okay, then let's take the border line of 1975 as a basis and mutually adhere to it, the "mirror" withdrawal of our troops. We also propose the establishment of a delimitated zone along the entire border line. We are ready to come to an agreement on this basis. I can't say that we now have something final, but we express our readiness>, he said.
According to him, when Baku talks about its villages, Yerevan in turn reminds about its villages. <We say, well, we also have villages, we are ready to exchange them, are you ready, if so, then let's change right now. It's not like we spend all day daydreaming about what to give away. But on the other hand, we in no way belittle the interests of the RA, on the contrary. 70% of the arable land in the village of Paravakar is under the control of Azerbaijanis, the inhabitants of this village do not have the opportunity to develop. We must continue on this path so as not to give Azerbaijan a reason to legitimize its aggressive policy, but at the same time we must be sincere so as not to mislead the international community or others every time. The good news for me is that I say the same thing in all places, be it at the negotiating table, in Yerevan, indoors, in public, this is a very important advantage >, Nikol Pashinyan said. . At the same time, responding to the concern of those present due to the fact that the village of Tigranashen in the Ararat region may pass to Azerbaijan, as a result of which there may be a problem with the road from Yerevan to Vayots Dzor and beyond, Pashinyan replied that "if we assume, proceed from the preliminary version that there was Karki (Azerbaijani name - ed.), it is not a fact that Azerbaijan wants to return Artsvashen (under the control of Azerbaijan - ed.) and get, for example, Karki>. According to him, even if this is the case, then the importance of this issue should not be overestimated, since this cannot cause unsolvable problems. < There is no such issue. If the road cannot pass this way, it can pass the other way. There is no problem>, Pashinyan said, stating that the issue is mainly used for psychological pressure on the citizens of the Republic of Armenia.
Earlier on May 24, during the government hour in parliament, commenting on his own statement of May 22 that the territory of Azerbaijan with an area of 86.6 thousand square km also includes the so-called enclaves, Pashinyan said that the issue with the enclaves has not yet been resolved. It should be noted that Azerbaijani enclaves in Armenia are located in Tavush and Ararat regions. These are the villages of Baganis-Ayrum, Nerkin Voskepar (Ashagi Askipara) and Verin Voskepar (Yukhari Askipara), Barkhudarly, Sofulu, and Tigranashen (Kyarki). These settlements passed to Armenia as a result of the war in the 1990s, during the first Karabakh war. The village of Artsvashen, in turn, came under the control of Baku.