Armenia treats border with Azerbaijan near Syunik as temporary

The demarcation process of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border will start only after the establishment of diplomatic relations; now, only the two countries' actual control zones are defined. This was stated by the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) after the protests held by residents of the Syunik Region of Armenia.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the November 10 ceasefire and the transfer of the "buffer zone" around Karabakh under Baku's control raised the demarcation issue of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. Azerbaijani militaries occupied strategically important positions near the city of Kapan, the capital of the Syunik Region of Armenia, which has triggered protests. Residents of three villages found themselves in de facto isolation. The Armenian Ombudsperson has complained to international structures about the installation of the banner "Welcome to Azerbaijan" on the Goris-Kapan highway. Residents of Syunik Region poured paint on the banner.

Menua Ovsepyan, Vice-Mayor of Goris, has called on people to take up arms and help villagers in "defending our land and water," the "Sputnik Armenia" reports.

According to Akop Arshakyan, the head of the village of Shurnukh, residents of 12 disputed village houses will stay, thanks to the mediation of Russian peacemakers, in their houses until at least January 2-3, 2021. "If the decision is made that they should give the land away, they'll be given time to leave," he has added.

However, Suren Ogandjanyan, the head of the village of Vorotan, Syunik Region, has complained that Azerbaijani militaries gave his brother Seiran, a Vorotan villager, only an hour to leave the house.