Policy conducted under the umbrella of the European Union

On October 6 Azerbaijan President Ilham AliyevPrime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, President of France Emmanuel Macron and European Union One of the agreements reached at the quadrilateral meeting between (EU) Council President Charles Michel in Prague Azerbaijan– Armenia was related to sending a civilian mission to the state border.

In the final statement, it was mentioned that the purpose of the mission, which will be implemented for a maximum period of two months starting this month, is to build trust between the parties. Also, the mission Azerbaijan and Armenia will prepare reports for the commission dealing with delimitation and demarcation of the border between Official Baku of observers Armenia to be placed in the territory protest did not, at the same time said that only with this mission To Azerbaijan will cooperate in related issues.

Just a few days after this agreement (October 11) Europe The representatives of the member countries of the Union decided to send a civilian mission to Armenia, which will be located along the border with Azerbaijan. Europe In the decision taken at the closed meeting of the civil affairs and security committee of the Union, it was noted that 50 people were included in the observation mission. On October 13, the first group of EU observers already went to Yerevan and held meetings with the country’s leadership.

As expected, Russia expressed his strong dissatisfaction with this agreement. Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a briefing on October 11: “We will do this by any means of the European Union. Azerbaijan and Armenia “We regard it as an attempt to interfere with the arrangement between our country and suppress the mediation efforts of our country.” Zakharova emphasized that Baku and Yerevan, the only key to reconciliation, lasting peace and long-term stability in the region Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia full of tripartite statements of leaders execution is to be.

Just one day after this statement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in a meeting with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan in Astana that the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is ready to send observers to the border of Armenia with Azerbaijan. Lavrov also called for the speedy implementation of the agreements reached with the mediation of Moscow after the Karabakh war.

Lavrov added that in order to send the fact-finding mission of the CSTO to Armenia, there must be a decision of the Collective Security Council of the organization, and the current chairman of the council is Armenia. Mirzoyan said that his country welcomed the deployment of the CSTO mission.

President of Azerbaijan Inspiration Aliyev’s position on this mission is full of interesting notes. At the summit of CIS leaders in Astana, the Head of State said that as a result of the negotiations that lasted for several hours in Prague on October 6 Armenia-Azerbaijan a decision was made to send a civilian mission of the European Union consisting of 40 people to the territory of Armenia near the border: “Later we found out that their number will be 50 people. They will be there for at least two months. The purpose of this mission, as we have seen, is to assist the parties in drawing borders and defining issues related to delimitation. That’s why we agreed to it. There were also attempts to send this mission to Azerbaijan, but these attempts were firmly rejected by us.

According to the emphasis of the President of Azerbaijan, therefore, the mission will be located on the territory of Armenia, in the area of ​​responsibility of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

Inspiration In this statement of Aliyev Russia– There were messages about the tension in Armenian relations. First of all, the head of state emphasized that the civil observation mission To Azerbaijan there were attempts to send it, but it was firmly rejected by him. But this initiative Nicole Pashinyan proposed by and unanimously supported by the EU.

Second, Ilham Aliyev The fact that the EU mission will be located in the zone of responsibility of the CSTO led by Russia is also a sign that Armenia is breaking the rules of the game in the region. That is, it is an issue that should be specially evaluated by Moscow that the mission of the European Union will work in a country that is a member of CSTO.

Another interesting point is that of the CSTO observers from the Armenian counterpart of the Russian Foreign Minister Armenia-Azerbaijan is to demand a decision on its placement on the border. Ararat Mirzoyan so-called welcomed it, but even though a week has passed, no real steps have been taken by Yerevan. However, the first step of Armenia should be to call a meeting of the CSTO and apply to the organization and get its decision.

Undoubtedly, Armenia’s request to the European Union to send civilian observers to the border Azerbaijan aims to neutralize pressures. Pashinyan 10 tries to block the mechanisms that Baku periodically activates in order to speed up the implementation of the November statement, to extend the implementation of obligations until the period when favorable geopolitical conditions for Armenia will be created. In Yerevan, they believe that the EU mission will conduct business on the border with Azerbaijan Baku is a deterrent for Also, documenting the changed contact lines as a result of the September 13-14 battles as a fact of occupation will be reflected in the report prepared by this mission.

The statement issued today by the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan stated that October 16 of the day in the second half, to the positions of the Armenian armed forces facing the units of the Azerbaijani Army located in the direction of Dashkasan military it was observed that it gathered additional personnel and 4 artillery units with vehicles. It was stated that Armenia bears all the responsibility for the tension that may arise in the region military–political falls on the management.

It can be seen from this statement that Armenia also took advantage of the presence of the EU mission in the region to restore its positions destroyed during the fighting and military is trying to restore its infrastructure. This issue is extremely important for Pashinyan, as the opposition and the media put the Prime Minister under severe pressure for his inability to protect the country’s security.

Today, it cannot be considered a coincidence that he repeated the statement regarding Zangezur Corridor, which was met with irritation by the Azerbaijani leadership. Pashinyan said that the Armenian government on the border with Azerbaijan Azerbaijan with the east Nakhchivan to establish three checkpoints to ensure communication between offer does. Establishment of the stations mentioned by the Prime Minister in Gegarkunik (Goyche), Ararat (Agri) and Sünik (Zangezur) provinces offer is being It is noted that new customs the conditions in other stations will be in force, no difference will be made, the stations of Armenia and the Eurasian Economic Union customs will operate in accordance with the legislation.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan wrote on its Twitter account that Armenia “through the Zangazur corridor car – must stop using false pretenses to evade its obligations on railways. The Ministry notes that 20 3 unrealistic options for connection checkpoints, ignoring months of debate offer It is not a good policy to do.

Thus, on the eve of the arrival of observers to Armenia, the EU has sufficiently hardened its position in the negotiations with Yerevan and Baku. Also, by not reacting to the proposal regarding CSTO observers, he does not hesitate to go to an open confrontation with Russia. This is a new source of tension in the region and may be one of the main reasons for further military clashes.

The future of the EU mission is also a matter of concern. Because it is not an exception to increase the 2-month period and the number of 50 people mentioned in the agreement. Official Baku has expressed its concern about this to the EU officials. Some experts note that if new military conflicts occur in the region, the EU civilian mission will be replaced by the military. substitute can do. In this case, Brussels should take into account the risk of an open conflict with Russia and Azerbaijan in the region.

Turgut