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Former Armenian Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan has condemned the statements on the possible handover of four border villages in Tavush Province to Azerbaijan.

"The current developments in Tavush have nothing to do with the delimitation or demarcation of the state border. This is an illegal process which runs counter to international norms, leading to massive human rights violations and undermined security. Azerbaijan, however, will not stop there,” he wrote on Facebook on Tuesday.

The ex-ombudsman claims Azerbaijani soldiers will be stationed close to the Tavush communities, leading to their isolation, various sections of the interstate road will become dangerous and impossible to use, while the so-called alternative roads will not fill these gaps. Especially the Armenian-Georgian border communication through Tavush will be under threat.

“Strategic objects (gas pipelines, water resources, etc.) will be under Azerbaijan’s control or target. There will be new displaced persons, people will be deprived of free and safe movement, family income, will lose access to pastures, arable land, hayfields and orchards. People's peace of mind and dignity will be undermined,” Tatoyan underscored.

“In other words, Tavush will end up with the same fate as Syunik, Vayots Dzor and Gegharkunik with grave strategic security problems, let alone the recurrent Azerbaijani gunshots and shell explosions in the vicinity of Armenian communities," he said.