Armenia’s Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) Arman Tatoyan on Wednesday said following the results of his visit to Syunik Province, he submitted an inquiry to the Foreign Ministry, requesting clarifications over demarcation and delimitation processes along Armenia's border with Azerbaijan, taking into account the direct impact of these processes on human rights in the current situation.
The ministry issued an official position, which the ombudsman published in full on his Facebook page.
“Demarcations are successive bilateral international processes that require the existence of a joint commission and within the framework of which professional discussions and negotiations are held. A prerequisite for the above-mentioned processes is the existence of normal bilateral relations, including diplomatic relations, between the neighboring states.
In international practice, a bilateral intergovernmental commission (chaired by representatives of the foreign ministries of the countries) is formed to carry out demarcation and delimitation processes between neighboring countries, consisting of representatives of state stakeholders (foreign policy, defense, security), experts (particularly in the field of geodesy cartography).
The first stage of the work of such commissions, as a rule, ends with a separate bilateral agreement on the legal basis of the demarcation, and later, after the demarcation, on the joint implementation of the demarcation process.
Upon successful completion of the bilateral process, the commission concludes an agreement on the border between the two countries, which stipulates that all border issues have been resolved.
Prior to the commencement of the above-mentioned processes, "their successful completion, the deployment of armed forces or border troops to conduct combat duty along the state border is a purely defensive" security measure, in areas actually under the control of the parties, negotiated directly or indirectly between representatives of the armed forces."
Therefore, the implementation of the current measures is not related to status issues, can not be interpreted as a final agreement on demarcation, or mechanical approval of existing administrative boundaries”.
Arman Tatoyan has established an effective and reliable cooperation with the Foreign Ministry on the mentioned issues, as well as on various other issues, especially with the country's permanent representatives in international structures and its ambassadors to a number of countries.