EU deploying monitors along Armenian-Azerbaijani borders
By Vugar Khalilov
The EU Council agreed to deploy up to 40 EU monitoring experts on the Armenian side of the state border with Azerbaijan to monitor, analyze, and report on the regional situation, Azernews reports, citing the council.
The decision follows the October 6 quadrilateral meeting between President Aliyev, Prime Minister Pashinyan with the mediation of President Macron, and President Michel, and is intended to facilitate the restoration of regional peace and security, as well as trust building, and the delimitation of the two states' international border, the statement reads.
“The EU’s deployment of up to 40 EU monitoring experts along Armenia’s international border with Azerbaijan will aim to build confidence in the unstable situation that is putting lives at risk and jeopardizes the conflict resolution process. This is another proof of the EU’s full commitment to contributing to the ultimate goal of achieving sustainable peace in the South Caucasus, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell stressed.
It was determined that the monitoring specialists would be temporarily deployed from the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia to guarantee a timely deployment of the EU monitoring mission (EUMM Georgia). The EUMM is taking operational steps to ensure that its monitoring capability in Georgia is not jeopardized.
The monitoring mission will be of a temporary nature, lasting no longer than two months, the council underlined.
During the European Political Community conference in Prague on 6 October, Armenia and Azerbaijan reiterated their adherence to the UN Charter and the Declaration reached in Alma-Ata on 21 December 1991, in which both governments recognize each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
The sides agreed that it would serve as the foundation for the work of the border delimitation commissions and that the next border commission conference will take place in Brussels by the end of October. The mission's goal is to instill trust and contribute to border commissions through its reports.
In a letter received by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on September 22, the Armenian Foreign Minister asked the EU to deploy a civilian Under the Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) Mission to Armenia.
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