According to the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan, Armenia has agreed to return four villages that have been occupied since the 1990s. This decision was made during the 8th session of the Armenian and Azerbaijani border delimitation commissions. The spokesperson of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, Aykhan Hajizadeh, confirmed this agreement and stated that the four villages would be returned to Azerbaijan.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, however, announced that the four villages claimed by Azerbaijan are not de jure in the territory of Armenia, based on the Alma-Ata declaration. Despite this, Azerbaijan will still receive two and a half villages as part of the agreement. The Prime Minister’s staff explained that Azerbaijan will regain control over the entire village of Kizl Hajli and a significant portion of the village of Ashagh Askipara.
This development marks a significant step towards resolving the longstanding territorial disputes between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The return of the four villages is seen as a positive move towards peace and stability in the region. Both countries will continue to work towards finding peaceful solutions to other outstanding issues related to their borders.