With the declaration of Alma Ata, former Soviet Armenia and Soviet Azerbaijan became independent states, and former administrative borders were transformed into state borders. This means that a new border between Armenia and Azerbaijan should not be created, the border should be expressed, and according to that, what is Armenia is Armenia, and what is not Armenia, is not Armenia. Under this statement, maps with de jure significance should be agreed. Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said this during a briefing with journalists at the Parliament.
Turning to his statement that he knows where Armenia’s border passes, he clarified that he knows about it because all the documents of legal importance have been brought out, and the de jure border has been shown on the map. Now it is necessary to verify with Azerbaijan whether these maps coincide or not.
The Prime Minister is also convinced that these maps of de jure significance cannot but coincide, because in the Soviet years it was also determined by bilateral work.
“Our perception is that we go, we take those maps, we take them, we put them on the ground. The fact that it says GPS determines the border's coordinate on the map (experts can do it, decide on the spot). And we are ready to go to this process, and we are not against starting this process in Baghanis village of Tavush province, Baghanis-Ayrum village of Gazakh region, Voskepar village of Tavush province, Ashagh-Askipara village of Gazakh region, Kirants village of Tavush province, Khairemli village of Gazakh region, Berkaber village of Tavush province, Kezyl-Hajili village of Gazakh region either completely or partially. Why complete or partial, because there are additional problems that Azerbaijan has, we also have (infrastructures, etc.), trying to ensure logic and normal life,” he said.
Pashinyan also clarified what the Armenian side’s understanding of security is, and whether we get anything from this process. “Yes, we get something very important, we get a delimited border. Unfortunately, we cannot do all at once, the entire border at once, in 1 day, 1 month or even 3 months, we have to start somewhere. I say we don't mind starting there.”
