Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan engaged in further discussions on Wednesday with concerned residents from two villages in Armenia’s northeastern Tavush province, located near border areas that are under consideration for transfer to Azerbaijan.
Last month, Pashinyan indicated his willingness to accede to Baku’s demands for Armenian withdrawal from four villages which were historically part of Azerbaijan during the Soviet era and were occupied by Armenian forces in 1991-1992. During a meeting on March 18 with residents of Voskepar and Kirants, villages that would be affected by the potential withdrawal, Pashinyan did not tie the handover to the liberation of any Armenian-held territories currently under Azerbaijani control.
Additionally, he cautioned that refusal to unconditionally cede these villages could provoke another conflict with Azerbaijan.
Following his statements in the Armenian parliament, Pashinyan faced strong opposition backlash. Various opposition figures, activists, and clergy subsequently visited the Tavush border areas to express solidarity with local residents opposing unilateral concessions. Concerns raised included the loss of strategically important military positions and control over sections of a vital interstate road to Georgia, which runs along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.
Many villagers voiced fears of losing access to their land and becoming more susceptible to Azerbaijani military threats.
Despite opposition protests, Pashinyan and his political allies have reassured residents of affected villages that their concerns will be addressed. After recent closed-door meetings with villagers in Voskepar, Kirants, and Berkaber, Pashinyan refrained from further comment, stating that he had already addressed the issue extensively.
According to a Voskepar resident who attended the meeting, Pashinyan assured them that the government is working to secure favorable outcomes for Armenia during negotiations with Azerbaijan.
Later, Pashinyan shared a video on his official Facebook page from one of his meetings in Tavush, where he spoke about the necessity of making difficult decisions for the greater good of the country.
Meanwhile, Pashinyan’s spokesperson, Nazeli Baghdasarian, issued a statement responding to various statements attributed to the prime minister by unofficial sources after his meetings in the border villages. Baghdasarian emphasized that only statements confirmed by the prime minister or official representatives should be regarded as credible.
During his recent visits, Pashinyan was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigorian, who is responsible for negotiations with Azerbaijan on border delimitation and demarcation, as well as Minister of Territorial Administration Gnel Sanosian and Police Chief Vahe Ghazarian.
