Territorial disputes between Armenia and Azerbaijan continue to complicate peace negotiations, with unresolved questions over border demarcation persisting more than 18 months after Azerbaijan's September 2023 military operation that reclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh.
Social media discussions and mapping analyses indicate ongoing disagreements over specific border sections, with both sides maintaining incompatible positions on territorial sovereignty. The disputes reflect the challenge of establishing internationally recognized borders between the two countries, which share a complex 1,007-kilometer frontier.
"The gap between diplomatic rhetoric and ground reality remains substantial," observed Laurence Broers, Director of the Caucasus Programme at Chatham House. "While high-level talks continue, the absence of agreed border delimitation creates persistent friction and security risks."
The border between Armenia and Azerbaijan was never formally demarcated during the Soviet era, when both were constituent republics. Following independence in 1991, three decades of conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh prevented serious border delimitation efforts. The 2020 war and 2023 Azerbaijani takeover of the disputed territory ostensibly cleared the path for peace negotiations, but fundamental disagreements persist.
Current disputes center on several contested areas, including sections where Soviet-era administrative boundaries remain ambiguous or where both sides claim historical territorial rights. Villages along the border have experienced periodic tensions, including reports of Azerbaijani military positions in areas that Armenia considers sovereign territory.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia has publicly committed to border delimitation based on the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration, which affirmed the inviolability of Soviet-era administrative borders. Azerbaijan has expressed general agreement with this principle but disputes persist over the interpretation and application of Soviet-era maps.
President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan has stated that his country seeks a comprehensive peace agreement with Armenia, including mutual recognition of territorial integrity. However, Azerbaijani officials have also emphasized security concerns and the need for guarantees regarding potential Armenian rearmament.
The European Union has attempted to facilitate border delimitation through mediation efforts. EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Toivo Klaar has engaged both sides in technical discussions, with EU civilian monitors deployed to Armenian territory near the border to build confidence.
Border delimitation involves highly technical processes, including identifying historical boundary markers, analyzing Soviet cartographic materials, and conducting joint surveys. Disagreements over which Soviet-era maps hold legal authority have complicated these efforts, with multiple versions of administrative boundaries existing in archival records.
The unresolved borders carry human consequences. Border villages face uncertainty about their status, agricultural lands remain inaccessible due to security concerns, and residents live under the constant possibility of military incidents. Several Armenian villages have been partially or fully evacuated due to proximity to Azerbaijani positions.
International observers note that the border disputes exist within a broader context of mutual distrust following decades of conflict. Both societies harbor deep grievances, and political opposition in both countries criticizes respective governments for perceived concessions. This domestic political environment constrains the flexibility of negotiators.
"Each side interprets Soviet-era boundaries through the lens of its own historical narratives and security imperatives," noted Olesya Vartanyan, Senior Analyst for the South Caucasus at the International Crisis Group. "Technical border delimitation cannot be separated from political reconciliation, and that remains the fundamental challenge."
In the Caucasus, as across mountainous borderlands, ancient identities and modern geopolitics create intricate patterns of conflict and cooperation. The persistence of territorial disputes between Armenia and Azerbaijan demonstrates how the mechanics of peacemaking—even after military resolution of core conflicts—require painstaking diplomatic work to translate ceasefire into lasting peace.
Both countries have expressed commitment to continuing negotiations, with periodic high-level meetings facilitated by the European Union, United States, and Russia. However, observers caution that without credible border delimitation and demarcation, the risk of renewed military incidents remains significant.
