Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian first came up with the idea of troop disengagement in May 2021 shortly after Azerbaijani forces advanced into Armenian territory at several sections of the border. The idea was subsequently backed by the European Union and the United States but not Azerbaijan.
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said earlier this week that Yerevan still hopes that Baku will agree to the mutual troop withdrawal. He said it would be a fresh confidence-building measure following the latest exchange of Armenian and Azerbaijani prisoners welcomed by the international community.
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov dismissed Mirzoyan’s calls during a joint news conference with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan held in Baku on Thursday.
“The Armenian-Azerbaijani border has not been delimited,” said Bayramov. “It’s a complex issue. If the troops are withdrawn without a comprehensive agreement who can guarantee that one of the parties will not seize [border] positions.”
Arsen Torosian, an Armenian lawmaker representing the ruling Civil Contract party, criticized this stance on Friday, saying that Baku wants to keep up pressure on the Armenian side in ongoing talks on a bilateral peace treaty and border delimitation. Torosian also questioned Baku’s commitment to a “genuine peace.”