The November 2020 Agreement and Its Territorial Consequences

59. The Nine Provisions of the Agreement

The trilateral statement contained nine principal provisions.

Its central arrangements were:

1. A complete ceasefire, with the opposing forces remaining in their positions.
2. The return of Aghdam district to Azerbaijani control by November 20.
3. The deployment of approximately 1,960 Russian peacekeepers, supported by armored vehicles and other equipment.
4. A five-year initial peacekeeping term, subject to extension under the agreement's provisions.
5. The establishment of a ceasefire monitoring center.
6. The return of Kelbajar and Lachin districts, while maintaining a Russian-protected corridor connecting Armenia with Nagorno-Karabakh.
7. The return of internally displaced persons and refugees under the supervision of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
8. The exchange of prisoners, hostages, other detained persons, and the remains of the dead.
9. The reopening of regional economic and transport connections, including connections between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan through Armenia.

The agreement did not establish an internationally recognized independent status for Nagorno-Karabakh.

It also did not provide a final resolution of the Armenian population's political status or establish a comprehensive framework for their long-term protection.

60. The Return of Aghdam

Aghdam had been captured by Armenian forces during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War.

Much of the city had been destroyed or abandoned during the decades that followed.

Under the November agreement, Armenian forces withdrew from the district.

Azerbaijan regained control on November 20, 2020.

For Azerbaijanis displaced from Aghdam in the 1990s, the return of the district was a major national event.

However, the destruction of housing, public buildings, utilities, and infrastructure meant that civilian resettlement required extensive reconstruction.

61. The Return of Kelbajar

Kelbajar, known as Karvachar in Armenian usage, lies in a mountainous area west of Nagorno-Karabakh.

It had been captured by Armenian forces in 1993.

Under the ceasefire agreement, the district was to be returned to Azerbaijan.

The original withdrawal deadline was extended to November 25 because of logistical and humanitarian difficulties.

Armenian residents departed, taking personal possessions and livestock where possible.

Some departing residents burned houses rather than leave them behind.

The withdrawal created painful scenes of displacement and uncertainty.

The transfer also changed the security geography of the region by removing Armenian control over a large mountainous district.

62. The Return of Lachin

The Lachin district was strategically important because it connected Armenia with Nagorno-Karabakh.

Under the agreement, most of the district returned to Azerbaijani control on December 1, 2020.

A five-kilometer-wide corridor was to remain under Russian peacekeeping control.

This arrangement preserved a connection between Armenia and the Armenian-populated part of Nagorno-Karabakh.

However, the route's security depended on the presence and effectiveness of Russian peacekeepers and the implementation of the agreement.

The corridor later became one of the most disputed issues in the postwar period.

63. The Territory Remaining Under Armenian Administration

After the ceasefire, the self-declared Republic of Artsakh continued administering a reduced territory centered on Stepanakert and parts of the surrounding region.

Russian peacekeepers deployed along the new contact line and the Lachin Corridor.

The arrangement created a temporary security environment but did not resolve the status dispute.

The Armenian population remained vulnerable to disruptions in transport, supplies, and security.

The continued existence of Artsakh's institutions depended on circumstances that were fundamentally different from those before September 2020.