Vahe Ghalumyan, a Civil Contract parliamentarian and former governor of Tavush, asserted that there are no Armenian homes in the disputed area on the Tavush region’s borderline. Instead, he claims that the area originally consisted of Azerbaijani villages that came under Armenia’s control in the 1990s.
Ghalumyan emphasized the absence of Armenian inhabitants in these villages, expressing uncertainty about the existence of any housing in the area. He indicated that even if there were any residents, they would receive support from the state. He framed this issue within the ongoing peace process, stressing the importance of finding lasting resolutions. “None of the 29,800 territories of RA will be surrendered; in my opinion, the ownership of these villages does not matter, and it does not matter who owns them; there is international law,” he added. He also highlighted the presence of Armenian lands under Azerbaijani control. He clarified that “Azerbaijanis actually inhabited the mentioned villages, and the 31 villages that Pashinyan is talking about are open spaces, grasslands, and arable lands.”
It is worth noting that in a recent interview, Nikol Pashinyan indicated a smaller territory for the Republic of Armenia, measuring 29,743 square kilometers.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, in today's press conference, highlighted an incident involving a territory of 29,800 square kilometers. He emphasized the importance of respecting each other's territorial integrity during negotiations, recounting Azerbaijan's declaration… pic.twitter.com/yhmT7oT38u
— 301🇦🇲 (@301arm) March 12, 2024
However, Ghalumyan’s remarks about the commitment to protect 29,800 square kilometers diverge from this narrative while aiming to justify the upcoming concessions on the Tavush borderline. As for the 31 villages that Ghalumyan refers to, on January 10, 2024, during his interview, Ilham Aliyev clearly stated that Azerbaijan will not leave the mentioned 31 Armenian villages.
BREAKING: For the first time since 2020, the Armenian government has officially confirmed that 31 Armenian villages, excluding enclaves, are currently occupied by Azerbaijan.
A total of 170 square kilometers are currently occupied by Azerbaijan’s forces (excluding Artsakh)… pic.twitter.com/cSD59su6fL
— 301🇦🇲 (@301arm) March 3, 2024
Vahe Ghalumyan has strong ties to the Pashinyan family and is Nikol Pashinyan’s godfather.
