A delay in the delimitation of the Azerbaijan–Armenia border
Daily SabahAug 16, 2022
New border clashes erupted between Armenia and Azerbaijan near the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh on Mon. night. The latest round of fighting between the two countries continued on Tues., raising fears of another military escalation.
Armenia claimed that 49 of its soldiers were killed in the border clashes. Earlier, it said it had responded to what it characterized as a "large-scale provocation" by Baku. Azerbaijan, in turn, accused Yerevan of military buildup in the border area and claimed to have reacted after being attacked by Armenia.
The underlying cause of the recent military clashes is that Yerevan still doesn't recognize Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty - which includes recognizing Nagorno-Karabakh as Azeri territory. To ensure peace, a new demarcation and delimitation process must be initiated. Unfortunately, Armenia is preventing this by imposing many unreasonable preconditions.
It was Azerbaijan, supported by Turkey, that started a brutal war against Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh. However, even after the official cessation of fighting, there is no end to Baku's ceasefire violations and aggressions against Armenians. These include cutting off natural gas supplies to the local population. So far, only Russian peacekeepers have prevented Azerbaijan from unleashing a new full-blown war.