Armenia proposes territory swap with Azerbaijan to resolve exclave issues

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has proposed a territorial exchange with Azerbaijan to resolve the long-standing issue of enclaves and exclaves. The proposal suggests swapping four small Azerbaijani exclaves located within Armenian territory for the larger Armenian exclave of Artsvashen situated inside Azerbaijan. The goal of this exchange is to establish a single, continuous border between the two nations.

While the proposal aims to eliminate the complexities of Soviet-era ethnic enclaves, Azerbaijan has not yet confirmed interest in the plan. Armenian officials have indicated that the matter is not currently under formal discussion. The shift in dynamics follows Azerbaijan's 2023 military recovery of Karabakh, which altered the regional power balance.

Historically, territorial discussions between the two countries involved much larger areas, such as Karabakh and the Zangezur corridor. Any successful implementation of a land swap in Armenia would likely face significant political sensitivity and may require a national referendum.