What Happened: A meeting of the commission on border delimitation and security between Armenia and Azerbaijan, chaired by the countries' respective deputy prime ministers, was held at the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, Eurasianet reported on Dec. 1. 

Why It Matters: Intensifying meetings in this format, and the subsequent demarcation of the border, is likely a necessary precondition to the conclusion of a peace agreement. However, border clashes remain possible even as these talks progress, and Armenia and Azerbaijan still need to resolve other disputes, most notably regarding regional transit, before a peace agreement can be finalized.

Background: This is the first time Armenia and Azerbaijan have held a meeting in this format since July, as contacts stopped following Azerbaijan's seizure of the Nagorno-Karabakh region in September. They have held five meetings since the border commissions first met in May 2022. 

Read More: 

• Assessing the Prospect of Azerbaijan Invading Armenia (Oct. 19, 2023)
• What's Next for the South Caucasus After Azerbaijan's Seizure of Nagorno-Karabakh (Sept. 20, 2023) 
• Azerbaijan Maintains the Upper Hand in the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict (Sept. 15, 2023) 
• Deep Divisions Set the Tone For Georgia's Geopolitical Future (Sept. 1, 2023)