YEREVAN, December 20. /ARKA/. In a Facebook live broadcast today Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said due to the ongoing delimitation of the border with Azerbaijan in the southern province of Syunik army and border troops were being redeployed along the internationally recognized borders of Armenia.
Armenian army units had to pull back from Zangelan and Kubatli regions, which were regained by Azerbaijan as a result of the 44-day war in September-November and redeploy in Syunik.
Pashinyan said in his video address that this process sparked angry protests of the local residents who are concerned about their security. “Some even claim that what is happening in Syunik is its surrender,” Pashinyan said.
According to him, the reality is absolutely opposite – everything is being done to ensure the security of Syunik.
‘The fact is that in the areas outside the internationally recognized borders of Armenia there was a high probability of resumption of hostilities in recent days, and if this escalation took place, the wave could reach the Syunik region, the territory of Armenia with all the ensuing consequences,” he said.
He said by deploying at the internationally recognized borders of Armenia, “we create guarantees for Syunik, since today’s border is part of the security system of which we are a member (Russia-led CSTO) and where completely different security rules apply.”
According to him, today the Russian border troops and other forces are fully involved in Syunik, and this creates a completely new situation in terms of security.
“As a result of all this, transport and logistic difficulties may arise. Uninterrupted travel on some of our roads may be difficult, but these issues can be resolved,” the prime minister said, meaning some of roads straddling the Soviet-era Armenian-Azerbaijani border.
“I will be visiting Syunik on Monday to look into the situation on the spot and allay all the fears of its residents. I am sure that I will be able to do that. Now I want to repeat: not a single millimeter of land has been ceded from the territory of Syunik region, as well as from the territory of Armenia,” Pashinyan said.