According to the cartographer, from 1928 to 1938 40, Azerbaijan partially extracted about 1200 square kilometers from Armenia and Artsakh, and Armenia has legal grounds to claim them.
Geographer cartographer Rouben Galichian said that the easiest way to solve the issue of enclaves is the one proposed by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. “The total area of enclaves in Armenia is 45 square kilometers; Artsvashen is 44 square kilometers, an Armenian enclave inside Azerbaijan. The Prime Minister said that we should exchange: that which is in the territory of Azerbaijan should remain with Azerbaijan, and that which is in our territory should remain with us; that is the easiest way. Then problems will arise.” The cartographer answered that Azerbaijan disagrees with this proposal and what is the strategic importance of its enclaves in the territory of the Republic of Armenia.
“The Soviet Union gave the Armenian enclave to Azerbaijan in a blind corner, which had no strategic significance, and the Azerbaijani enclaves in Armenia are sitting on the highways of Armenia. Why the Soviet Union put the Armenian highway under the control of Azerbaijan is another matter. At one time, no one thought about it or talked about it. But if those three enclaves are given to Azerbaijan, one has a road to Azerbaijan, and the other two do not. What will Azerbaijan do? They will come tomorrow and say: we demand a corridor to join our enclaves. In other words, they want a corridor in the territory of Armenia. They cannot reach that enclave since they do not have that corridor.
If someone with an Armenian surname, even an American-Armenian born in Europe with the surname “Yan,” wants to enter the territory of Azerbaijan, they are not given the right. How will they pass through Armenia to reach their enclave? They will demand a corridor to their enclave, playing the same role as the Zangezur Corridor. If Tigranashen is joined to Azerbaijan, then the two enclaves above are joined to Azerbaijan; first of all, the road from Yerevan to the south of Armenia will be completely cut off, and on the other hand, the road from Ijevan to Noyemberyan will be cut off. The Prime Minister made a statement that if Tigranashen is given to Azerbaijan, we have a way out.
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Look at the road on this map from Yerevan to Yeraskh and from Yeraskh to the mountains; Tigranashen is sitting on the proper highway. An Azerbaijani cannot get there; he will have to go through Armenia. Another option is a narrow road for small trucks. But big trucks and buses will not be able to pass through that road; it will have to be widened, the route changed, and a new road will have to be built there.”
The cartographer suggests that if Armenia gives an enclave to Azerbaijan, let them pull a barbed wire and say: “Yes, it’s yours, but how are you going to cross? We don’t give you space, just like you don’t give us the right to enter your border. For that, you need politics and courage.”
Rouben Galichian said it was possible to take the legal documents maps and enter the international court, but for Aliyev, what the international court says is not essential, and what he even signed is not necessary. “He does what he wants; their appetite will increase daily. And we conclude that you can resist force only with force.” The cartographer said that from 1928 to 1938-40, Azerbaijan partially extorted around 1200 square kilometers of territory from Armenia and Artsakh, and Armenia has legal grounds to claim them.
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
