Armenia controls around 110 square kilometers of internationally recognized Azerbaijani territory, Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Alen Simonyan said in an interview with the ArmComedy podcast.
His remarks came in response to recurring Armenian claims that Azerbaijani forces hold roughly 200 square kilometers of Armenian land, Sputnik reports.
“Do you want me to show the places on the map? I’m saying officially that we hold about 110 square kilometers on their territory – for example, in Tavush,” Simonyan said.
Stay Ahead with Azerbaijan.usGet exclusive translations, top stories, and analysis — straight to your inbox.“And they hold around 200 square kilometers on ours. There are also positions dating back to the 1990s where we are ahead.”
Simonyan added that these issues are currently being addressed within the Armenia-Azerbaijan border delimitation commission, which has been tasked with determining the boundary based on the 1991 Almaty Declaration, the Soviet-era administrative borders both states recognized upon independence.
His comments echo statements he made earlier on 11 September, when he publicly acknowledged that Armenian forces remain positioned inside parts of Azerbaijan pending delimitation.
At the time, he said: “In many places they are ahead, and in many places we are ahead. Let’s say they hold 210 square kilometers, and we hold 110.”
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan previously stated that Armenia expects the return of all sovereign territories currently under Azerbaijan’s control as part of the ongoing delimitation process. Following meetings in January between the vice-premiers of both countries, the sides agreed to begin delimitation from the northern tri-border area with Georgia, moving southwards toward the border with Iran.
The two governments are expected to further discuss the U.S.-brokered draft agreements reached on 8 August in Washington.
