The EU Will Send a New Observational Mission to Armenia: What is the Timeline This Time?

The European Union intends to send a new observational mission to Armenia in a month, this time not for two months, but for at least two years. This has been reported by 'Azatutyan' (Freedom). According to the media's sources, this project was approved last week by the Political and Security Committee of the European Council, and yesterday it was confirmed in the main body dealing with observational missions, the Committee on Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management.

Unlike the forty-member group sent last October, which was stationed at the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, this time the European observers will patrol throughout the entire territory of Armenia. Similar to the previous mission, they will be unarmed.

It is not yet officially reported how many observers will be arriving. However, according to 'Azatutyan', approximately two hundred European experts will be included in the new mission.

"Their priority is to help reduce incidents in the border areas of Armenia and in regions affected by the conflict, to decrease risks for the residents of those areas, and thereby create favorable conditions for the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan," said the committee's conclusion.

The body has proposed that the EU External Action Service develop a special action plan in the coming days, clarifying how the safety of the mission will be guaranteed, how risks will be assessed, what protective equipment will be provided, and how the evacuation of observers will be organized if necessary.

In addition, it is suggested to clarify the expected support from the Armenian authorities. Brussels, in particular, expects Yerevan to take responsibility for managing interactions or incidents between the Europeans and Russian units, as well as to grant the mission necessary immunity and privileges.

Unlike the previous two-month mission, Baku has not approved this one. Furthermore, the Azerbaijani president recently criticized the initiative and claimed that the Europeans had deceived them.

"We agreed in Prague that this mission would be short-term, consisting of forty people, and would last only two months. But then, for some reasons, this agreement was violated, which is, of course, very disappointing. Because we are serious people, and if we have agreed, even verbally, we must keep the word. What does it mean to extend the mission without coordinating with us? After all, it will be on our borders," he said.

Aliyev also asserted that through this move, the European Union does not contribute to security, but rather puts into question the negotiations started under the mediation of European Council President Charles Michel with Armenia. These negotiations, incidentally, ceased last month when Baku canceled the meeting scheduled for December 7 and refused to sit at the table with the French president.

Now Aliyev threatens to do the same with the European Union as well: "The mission's deployment is, of course, very unpleasant. It will not improve security; on the contrary, it will disrupt the negotiation format. After the death of the Minsk Group, the EU began to play a role, which I supported. However, if such games are played behind our backs, then the future of that format is called into question," said the Azerbaijani leader.

Meanwhile, official Yerevan has repeatedly emphasized the role and importance of EU observers. Months ago, Prime Minister Pashinyan argued that it has contributed not only to security but has actually recorded the existing border between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

"If the existence of the border was not fixed, neither the EU nor any other observational mission could come, because what would they see if it was not clear where the border is? As a result of their activities, they should draw deep conclusions and convey these conclusions to officials involved in the delimitation process and to the international community," the Prime Minister stated in an interview with Public Television in November.

The EU observers are expected to arrive in Armenia next month, with the mission starting on February 20. This issue will be discussed today during a meeting of the Union's ambassadors, and the final decision will likely be made next Monday in Brussels at the EU foreign ministers' meeting.