Yerevan endorses framework for Armenian-Azerbaijani border commission activities

The Armenian Parliament has approved the regulation governing the activities of the Armenian and Azerbaijani state commissions on border delimitation.

Armenian media confirmed that the regulation passed with 67 MPs voting in favour, as reported by Caliber.Az.

There were no abstentions or votes against the measure, though the opposition factions Armenia and I Have Honor chose not to participate in the discussions or the vote.

Sargis Khandanyan, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Relations, criticized the opposition's decision to abstain, calling it an evasion of responsibility.

"The opposition consistently avoids taking responsible decisions, preferring to abstain from voting, even if it means voting against," Khandanyan stated.

Armenia's Constitutional Court had previously ruled on September 26 that the regulation was in line with the country's Constitution, citing maps from the dissolution of the Soviet Union. On October 21, the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Relations approved the regulation and forwarded it to the parliament for consideration.

Notably, on August 30, Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a regulation governing the joint operations of their border delimitation commissions, as announced by the Armenian Foreign Ministry.

The ministry stated that both countries initiated internal state procedures to ratify the agreement. Tensions between Baku and Yerevan date back to 1991, following the Armenian military's occupation of Karabakh, a territory recognised internationally as part of Azerbaijan, along with seven surrounding regions.

Most of this territory was regained by Azerbaijan during a 44-day conflict in autumn 2020, which ended with a Russian-brokered peace deal that set the stage for normalization and border demarcation discussions.

In September of last year, Azerbaijan asserted full control over Karabakh after an anti-terrorist operation led to the surrender of separatist forces in the region.

By Khagan Isayev