Deputy PM`s office: Baku does not recognize fact of occupation of  Armenian territories

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.