In Kirants, an Armenian village of 350 people, the school offers a sweeping view of the surrounding mountains and valleys. Until recently, farmers grazed their livestock in the nearby fields. But for over a year now, a new feature has blocked their access and partially obstructed the horizon: a long gray concrete wall, which cuts the village in two.

After years of negotiations, it was here in the Tavush region of northeastern Armenia that Armenia and Azerbaijan began the process of demarcating their border in April 2024 – a border that, under the Soviet Union, had been purely administrative. The wall was built at the foot of the school. Since then, balls from the playground have regularly landed in Azerbaijan.

The border demarcation, based on old Soviet maps, has taken place alongside ongoing peace talks, during which an agreement was announced in March, though the official signing remains pending.

A bitter demarcation

Progress has been slow: Only 12.7 kilometers of the border have been demarcated between the two former Soviet republics – out of more than 1,000 kilometers in total. Four territorial zones – largely depopulated – have been handed over to Azerbaijan, including land around Kirants.

This demarcation has left a bitter taste among the village's residents. "Six families lost their homes, and 58 plots of land were given to the Azerbaijanis," explained Gohar Vardanyan, 28, a community official at the town hall. "Some farmers had to sell their livestock and abandon everything. Others are trying to continue working, but on smaller plots." The young woman insisted she was not opposed to the process itself, which she called "useful" for achieving peace, but she condemned the way it was carried out. "I don't know exactly what cards they are playing," she said, "but in the end, it only benefits Azerbaijan, which takes land belonging to Armenia, as the land registry proves. But to make peace, you need fair decisions."

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