Armenia‑Azerbaijan Reach Delimitation Consensus, Disputes Remain

News report, 9 September

On the sidelines of the Baku Climate Action Week, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov told the media that following multiple rounds of diplomatic negotiations, Armenia and Azerbaijan have reached a key procedural consensus on the implementation of state‑border delimitation, establishing a practical operational framework for the long‑stalled delimitation process.

According to official information released by both sides, the Armenia‑Azerbaijan border‑delimitation exercise will proceed in a north‑to‑south direction, starting at the tri‑junction point of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Both countries have set up national delimitation commissions chaired by their respective deputy prime‑ministers. A regular meeting mechanism will be maintained to address technical questions and on‑site disagreements arising during delimitation talks. Supporting procedural documents governing meeting rules and division of responsibilities have completed domestic approval procedures in both states, providing institutional groundwork for commission activities.

Nevertheless, the latest agreement covers only working procedures and does not resolve core territorial‑ownership disputes. Long‑standing substantive divergences persist. The Syunik Province in southern South Caucasus borders the contested zone, where opposing military positions remain in place. Publicly available satellite imagery confirms that Azerbaijan has continued reinforcing military fortifications across the area. Despite the procedural breakthrough, no tangible de‑escalation has been observed on the ground, and risks of local tensions remain.

Regional analysts note that the procedural agreement marks a symbolic step forward in the Armenia‑Azerbaijan peace process and demonstrates that bilateral dialogue channels remain functional. Procedural arrangements on paper, however, do not equal a final settled border. Upcoming challenges include determining actual boundary lines, handling contested segments and safeguarding human security. Deep‑rooted historical grievances and divergent security demands will keep testing the negotiating goodwill and willingness to compromise of both nations. Durable peace across the South Caucasus still lies far ahead.

This report will continue to follow geopolitical developments in the South Caucasus and monitor Armenia‑Azerbaijan negotiations as well as border‑security updates. We welcome interested parties for information exchange and content‑related cooperation.