Border Guards to Stand at Armenian-Azerbaijani Border in 8-9 Days, Later in Kiran

The Prime Minister's Office has responded to questions from "Armenpress" regarding the statement issued on May 15 by the commission on border delimitation between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The Q&A is as follows:

Question: Not all boundary pillars have been installed in the village of Kiran, Tavush Province. How will this issue be resolved? And how are things being resolved in the Kiran area in general? Will there be issues of road construction or property expropriation?

Answer: The three coordinates in Kiran have been determined using computer technology, and the pillars will be installed later. The others have already been placed. The positive news for Kiran is that approximately 25 hectares of agricultural land that have been inaccessible for the last 33 years will be returned to the village. The boundary description matches the map from 1976. As mentioned, there will be a need to relocate the road, which can be realized within 2-3 months. The road from the H-26 highway to Acharkut, which is an alternative route to Kiran, will also be reconstructed.

Regarding the property issues, their scale will not be significant, and the government will compensate citizens for any damages they incur in all such cases, according to their preference for property or financial compensation. Government representatives will begin documenting potential issues in the morning and will start discussions with Kiran residents.

Question: How do you assess the results of the delimitation in the areas of Baghanis, Voskepar, and Berkaber?

Answer: One of the most sensitive issues in the Voskepar-Baghanis section was related to the St. Mary Church in Voskepar, and another was the road from Voskepar to Baghanis from Soviet times. Both issues have been resolved in the best way possible. The road is entirely within RA territory, as is the church, and the border line is quite far from both the road and the church. There were no sensitive situations in Berkaber and there are none now.

Question: When will the border guards from both sides stand at the agreed border?

Answer: This will take place in the next 8-9 days, with the sensitive section in Kiran occurring later, as some details require further clarification.

Question: There is an opinion that the current process of delimitation is a one-sided concession from the Republic of Armenia, and that security threats will escalate for the villages of Baghanis, Voskepar, Kiran, and Berkaber.

Answer: Having a delimited border cannot become a security threat for the country or any locality. On the contrary, such a border neutralizes threats. As for concessions, the reestablishment of the border cannot be considered a concession, as it reproduces the borders we already have, which are internationally recognized. The process should continue along the same logic and principles in the remaining sections of the border.