Armenian authorities, seeking a peace deal to ease decades of territorial disputes with Baku, have approved the return of border villages seized by their army in the 1990s.
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The Armenian police announced the arrest of 151 demonstrators who tried, Monday, May 13, to block roads in the capital Yerevan to protest against the government’s decision to cede land to Azerbaijan as part of peace talks. Police said the protesters were arrested for “refusing to comply.”
Armenian authorities, seeking a peace deal to finally ease decades of territorial disputes and armed conflicts with its neighboring country and great rival, have approved the return of border villages seized by their army in the 1990s.
But the move led to a march from the affected region of Tavouch, which culminated in a demonstration of tens of thousands of people on May 9. Over the weekend, other rallies took place in Yerevan.
A historic rivalry
Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought two wars for control of an Azerbaijani region, Nagorno-Karabakh. The first in the 1990s, won by Armenia, caused more than 30,000 deaths, and the second in 2020, won by Azerbaijan, caused more than 6,000 deaths.
In September 2023, Baku launched a lightning offensive that forced Armenian separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh to capitulate within days. In the process, negotiations accelerated without yet leading to a peace agreement, within the framework of which Yerevan must hand over villages captured in the 1990s.
Azerbaijan is much better armed than Armenia thanks to its oil wealth and also has the support of Turkey. Armenia, much poorer, considers that its traditional ally, Russia, has abandoned it in the face of Baku and has since turned more towards Europe.