Border delimitation process successful - Armen Grigoryan

ArmInfo.RA Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan gives assurances that the border  delimitation process is a success. 

Thus, on the air of the Public Television Company, commenting on the  delimitation process on the Tavush section of the border, as a result  of which part of the sovereign territories of the Republic of Armenia  are transferred to Azerbaijan by the Armenian authorities, Grigoryan,  in particular, said: "We believe that the delimitation process was  successful. Not a single one was transferred millimeter of the  territory of Armenia. First of all, I want to note the very important  agreement reached by Armenia and Azerbaijan: to begin the process of  delimiting the border based on the Alma-Ata Declaration as a  principle. It was also agreed that the legal maps that have existed  in recent years will be used. Soviet Union, and that is why the 1976  map was taken as the basis for delimitation and we carried out  demarcation on it. During the delimitation process, a border was  drawn, on this side of the border is the territory of Armenia, on the  other side of the border is the territory of Azerbaijan."

When asked what remained on this and the other side, Grigoryan  replied that it was the territory of the Republic of Armenia. The  official hastened to add that the church did not pass to Azerbaijan,  it remained on the territory of Armenia and the border line runs "far  away."

"As for the territories, naturally, until this moment, the armed  forces served in those territories, and due to the implementation of  this service where there were positions, the communities in these  positions did not have access to their lands. Now that the armed  forces are leaving Border guards are deployed from these positions,  these territories are liberated and transferred to the control of  village residents to carry out their daily work, this is exactly what  we are talking about," the Secretary of the RA Security Council  assured, once again noting that the border delimitation process was  successful, and in others in areas it will be carried out using 1976  maps.

He once again assured that the Armenian authorities did not concede  anything. Next, he began to promote anti-state narratives regarding  the legitimacy of the territories that they transferred to  Azerbaijan. Despite the international practice of the general concept  of delimitation of state borders, Grigoryan assured that it is  impossible to immediately carry out delimitation.

The official also avoided a direct answer to the question that  delimitation and demarcation of the border cannot be carried out  until there is a comprehensive peace treaty, again repeating theses  about demarcation and the Alma-Ata Declaration. He further called the  assertions of opponents of border delimitation in the form in which  it is currently being carried out an amateurish approach. According  to him, the delimitation process between Armenia and Azerbaijan  cannot be carried out on the basis of the 1988 protocols, since they  were not procedurally completed. However, he did not respond to  clarification as to why Armenia does not carry out delimitation  according to the 1929 maps.

Grigoryan also could not give an intelligible answer, where are the  guarantees that tomorrow Azerbaijan will withdraw its troops from  Syunik and other occupied sovereign territories of Armenia.

When asked what would happen if Azerbaijan changed its mind,  Grigoryan replied that "with strong support from the international  community, we can move forward." Commenting on the conversations  around 25 hectares, he noted that there is no "bluff" on this issue,  this territory is being returned to Armenia. He also noted that, by  and large, there are no problems in Baganis, Voskepar and Berkaber,  but some problems have arisen in Kirantsa.

"Yes, there are certain problems in Kirants. There are 4 buildings  that, according to the 1976 map, do not remain on the territory of  Armenia. One of these buildings is a house, another is a house, the  next is a trailer store, the other is a garage. All these problems  are addressed to the government "We will solve all these problems. We  will build a road that will completely pass through the territory of  the Republic of Armenia," Grigoryan said, noting that there are also  no problems from the point of view of the gas pipeline.

Answering the question about whether this process brings us closer or  further away from war, he noted that this is being done to establish  peace and stability. Grigoryan assured that everything is being  carried out within the framework of the "peace agenda."

As it became known from the protocols signed between the delimitation  commissions between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan will have to  go to two houses, a bridge, a section of the road towards Georgia and  about 50 land plots.