Full Breakdown
Armenia and Azerbaijan Conduct 13th Border Delimitation Talks in Aghveran
4/30/2026, 4:07:51 AM
13th Delimitation Session and Immediate Outcomes
On 29 April 2025 the 13th meeting of the Armenian–Azerbaijani border-delimitation commissions convened in the resort town of Aghveran, Armenia. The delegations were led by Armenia’s Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan and Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev, who also chairs Azerbaijan’s State Commission on border delimitation. The parties exchanged views on organisational and technical issues, swapped draft texts for forthcoming delimitation instructions, and signed a protocol agreeing to schedule the next round of talks in Azerbaijan.
Historical Context of the Delimitation Process
The commissions were created in May 2022 to resolve the state-border dispute that follows Azerbaijan’s regaining of its territories. Subsequent meetings have been hosted in Moscow, Brussels, and, for the first time on one side’s soil, in Gabala, Azerbaijan (November 2024). Joint regulations governing the commissions were signed on 30 August 2024, ratified by both states, and entered into force on 1 November 2024. To date, only a 12.6-kilometre segment along the Tavush–Gazakh line has been demarcated, a step completed before the regulations took effect. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has described the effort as a “pilot” aimed at broader border definition.
Principal Actors and Institutional Framework
- Mher Grigoryan – Armenian Deputy Prime Minister, co-chair of the delimitation commission.
- Shahin Mustafayev – Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister, head of Azerbaijan’s delimitation commission.
- Nikol Pashinyan – Prime Minister of Armenia, whose political will is cited as essential to progress.
- Ilham Aliyev – President of Azerbaijan, likewise credited for facilitating cooperation.
Quantitative Milestones
- 13th joint commission meeting (29 April 2025).
- 12.6 km of border demarcated (pre-regulation).
- Joint regulations signed 30 August 2024; effective 1 November 2024.
- 13 meetings held since 2022, with venues rotating among Russia, Belgium, Azerbaijan, and now Armenia.
Official Statements & Responses
Armenian foreign-ministry communications highlighted the inclusion of business-community representatives and the discussion of trade, mutual supplies, and transit shipments. They noted Azerbaijan’s continued petroleum supplies to Armenia as evidence of emerging economic ties and emphasized that these results stem from the “political will” of Pashinyan and Aliyev. The ministry also announced the signing of a protocol that sets the date for the next session in Azerbaijan.
Criticism & Opposition
Local journalists reported that the venue was secured and closed to press, with security officers preventing media access. The lack of transparency has drawn concern from observers who view the exclusion of independent reporting as a barrier to public accountability.
On-the-Ground Reports
A Rolls-Royce vehicle linked to Armenian businessman Samvel Aleksanyan was seen departing the hotel where talks were held, prompting speculation about private-sector involvement, including a rumored discussion on sugar exports to Azerbaijan—an allegation the businessman has not confirmed.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources provide consistent accounts of the meeting’s agenda and outcomes; however, detailed data on the pace of future demarcation beyond the 12.6-km pilot segment remain unavailable.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The sides, with the participation of representatives of the business communities, also discussed issues related to the development of trade and economic cooperation, mutual supplies of goods and services, as well as transit shipments,” — Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- “It was noted with satisfaction that Azerbaijan supplies petroleum products to Armenia, which is an indication of the establishment of trade and economic ties between the two countries.” — Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- “ “It was noted that the transit of cargo to the Republic of Armenia through the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan is being successfully carried out and continues at present.” — Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- “It was particularly emphasized that the achieved results were made possible thanks to the political will of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.” — Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- “A protocol was signed at the end of the meeting, and both sides agreed to coordinate the date of the next round of talks, which is expected to take place in Azerbaijan.” — Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- “These bilateral discussions are intended to establish a clearly defined and mutually recognized border, which is seen as a vital step toward ensuring long-term stability and security in the South Caucasus region.” — Operative Information Center-OMM
Outlook: Next Steps
The signed protocol obliges the parties to convene the 14th session in Azerbaijan later this year. Both governments have signaled intent to expand trade—potential Armenian exports include aluminum, ferromolybdenum, agricultural produce, beverages, and textiles—while continuing technical work on the remaining border sections. Successful completion of the delimitation process is positioned as a cornerstone of broader normalization between Yerevan and Baku.
