In Response to Aliyev, Yerevan Says it Has Not ‘Canceled or Rejected’ Border Demarcation Meeting

The Armenia-Azerbaijan border


Armenia said on Wednesday that it continues to remain committed to implementing the agreements reached between the leaders of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan, and stressed that it has not “canceled or rejected” any meeting on the demarcation of borders between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Armenia’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement reaffirming its willingness to advance the provisions of the said agreements in response to remarks made by President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan who accused Yerevan of deliberately delaying the process by canceling the first meeting of the commission tasked with addressing the delimitation and demarcation of borders between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“The Armenian side remains committed to the implementation of the agreements. Accordingly, the Armenian side has not cancelled or rejected any meeting,” Armenia’s foreign ministry spokesperson Vahan Hunanyan said in a statement on Thursday.

“Within the framework of the agreements reached between the leaders of the two countries in Sochi and Brussels, the Armenian side continues to be ready to launch the work of the commissions,” added Hunanyan.

Armenia’s National Security chief Armen Grigoryan said at a press briefing on Thursday that the delimitation and demarcation commission’s meeting has not taken place yet because what he called a “technical” agreement had not been reached by the sides.

A technical agreement presumably will lay the parameters of the said talks, as well as the basis on which the negotiations would advance.

“We expect the delimitation and demarcation process to take place within logical parameters emanating from the two statements,” said Grigoryan, referring to a separate statement that addresses the opening of transport links between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS