Mirzoyan calls for improved border management, highlights US cooperation

Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ararat Mirzoyan has said that people from Armenia could also accidentally cross into Azerbaijan after getting lost, stressing the need to improve border management.

During discussions on the bill to ratify the Framework Agreement between Armenia and the United States on TRIPP, the minister responded to a question from MP Taguhi Ghazaryan.

Referring to recent cases on the border, the lawmaker asked about Armenia’s border guard capabilities and the support expected from the United States to develop them.

Mirzoyan first emphasized that, under the agreement, responsibility for border management, border control, and customs control rests with Armenia.

Referring to the incident in Shaki, the minister described what happened as unfortunate and said that the circumstances surrounding the Azerbaijani serviceman’s actions must be clarified through an investigation. He stressed that the procedures established by Armenian law must be followed and that, if guilt is proven, the person must be held accountable.

Mirzoyan then addressed the case of the Azerbaijani shepherd who ended up in Armenia after getting lost.

“I assure you that there have been, and I can confidently say there will be in the future, cases when a shepherd or a soldier from our side gets lost. But this means that, as you say, there are gaps, and border management needs to be improved,” the minister said.

According to Mirzoyan, Armenia is making efforts in this direction, and cooperation with the United States within the framework of TRIPP can also help improve border management without undermining Armenia’s jurisdiction.

He also noted that most of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border is monitored by the armed forces on both sides, rather than by border guard services. As an example of border guards’ service, the minister mentioned the delimited section in Kirants, describing it as a positive experience.

The National Security Service reported on October 26 that Azerbaijani citizen Yashar Ali Ogli Kasimov, who had been found in Tavush Province after getting lost, was returned to Azerbaijan on October 24.