In a significant development aimed at easing longstanding tensions, Armenia has returned control of four border villages to Azerbaijan. This transfer took place on Friday, May 24, as part of a border demarcation agreement between the two nations.

The Armenian National Security Service announced that its border guards had "officially" relocated to new positions, marking the handover of the villages of Baghani, Voskeper, Kirants, and Barkab to Azerbaijan. In response, Azerbaijan's Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev confirmed that Azerbaijani border guards now control these settlements, known locally as Baghanis Ayrum, Asagi Eskipara, Hayrimli, and Kizilhasili.

This action is seen as a crucial step toward normalizing relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which have been marred by decades of conflict, most notably over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan agreed to the handover in March 2024 as part of ongoing efforts to secure a lasting peace deal. In April, Armenia, which had occupied these villages since the 1990s, announced its plans to return them to Azerbaijan.

Despite the strategic importance of this move for peace, it has not been without controversy. In Armenia, protests erupted against the decision, with demonstrators accusing Prime Minister Pashinyan of treason and calling for his resignation. 

Addressing the nation on Friday evening, Pashinyan defended the decision. He explained that the demarcation of national boundaries is a crucial part of the broader process of defining the Armenian homeland within a specific geographic area. He stressed that these efforts are aimed at establishing lasting peace and stability in the region.

This exchange of territory is expected to be a pivotal step in the reconciliation process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, signaling a move towards resolving one of the region's most enduring conflicts.