(MENAFN- AzerNews)
Fatima Hasanova read more On January 23, the EU Council approved the dispatch of a
long-term civilian mission to Armenia, Azernews reports, citing the
EU's press service.
The aim of the mission is to promote stability on the
Azerbaijani-Armenian border, build confidence on the ground and
provide an environment conducive to EU-supported efforts to
normalize relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
'The Council today agreed to establish a civilian European Union
Mission in Armenia (EUMA) under the Common Security and Defence
Policy (CSDP). The objective of the Mission is to contribute to
stability in the border areas of Armenia, building confidence on
the ground, and ensuring an environment conducive to normalization
efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan supported by the EU,” the
document says.
According to Armenia's request, the mission will conduct routine
border patrols and report on the situation, which will strengthen
the EU's understanding of the situation on the ground.
The mandate has been approved for two years, with its
operational headquarters in Armenia. Stefano Tomat has been named
as the civil operation's commander.
The mission will also contribute to mediation efforts through a
process led by European Council President Charles Michel.
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna also commented on the
EU decision.
'This decision is very important and France will be happy to
take part in this European mission,' Colonna wrote, retweeting a
message by the head of the European diplomacy, Josep Borrell.
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry reacted ambiguously to this
statement. The ministry stated that such an engagement must not be
exploited for derailing the normalization process between
Azerbaijan and Armenia, including in the context of the border
delimitation process that should be carried out exclusively on a
bilateral basis.
“It must be ensured that the deployment of the EU mission in
Armenia duly takes into account the legitimate interests of
Azerbaijan, and such an undertaking by the EU takes place in a
manner that does not undermine mutual trust and confidence,” the
ministry added.
This decision of the European Union was made without agreement
with Azerbaijan, which may in the future serve as Azerbaijan's
refusal to cooperate with the EU. Ultimately, Azerbaijan's trust in
this organization may be lost. It seems that by taking advantage of
this mission, in order to free up resources, Armenia will only
continue its aggressive policy against Azerbaijan. However,
according to the Foreign Ministry, in the course of a series of
consultations between Azerbaijan and EU representatives, it was
noted that the EU's participation in Armenia through the mission
should not become a pretext for Armenia to evade the fulfillment of
its obligations.
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