The Russian Foreign Ministry harshly criticizes the decision to send the EU mission to the border of Armenia and Azerbaijan

Baku/26.01.23/Turan: On January 26, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a tough statement, sharply criticizing the decision of the European Union to send a Monitoring Mission to the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. The text of this document is far from diplomacy and looks like a threat.

“The principled position of Russia regarding the consolidation of the extra-regional factor in the Transcaucasus has not changed. We do not see any "added value" from the supervision of the EU "experts" over the events in the area of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. If Brussels were sincerely interested in peace in the Transcaucasus, they would agree on the terms of their mission's work with Azerbaijan.

The appearance of representatives of the European Union in the border regions of Armenia, which has degenerated into an appendage of the United States and NATO and is pursuing a confrontational policy in the CIS space, can only bring geopolitical confrontation to the region and exacerbate existing contradictions,” the document says.

“The declared civilian nature of the EU mission should not be misleading - it is being formed within the framework of the EU Common Security and Defense Policy with all the ensuing consequences.

Attempts by the European Union to gain a foothold in Armenia at any cost, to push back Russia's mediation efforts are capable of harming the fundamental interests of Armenians and Azerbaijanis in their aspirations to return to the peaceful development of the region.

We are convinced that the key factor for stability and security in the region for

the foreseeable future remains the Russian peacekeeping contingent deployed on the basis of the statement of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia dated November 9, 2020, as well as the Russian border guards serving on the Armenian borders. They will react to the behavior of the EU observers, taking into account the development of the situation "on the ground," the document further notes.

“We fix that in Yerevan, without bringing to its logical end the work on the direction of the CSTO mission, they preferred to make a choice in favor of the EU. If the Armenian allies remain interested in using the potential of the CSTO, its mission can be quickly deployed in Armenia.

As before, we believe that the most stable and long-term basis for the Armenian-Azerbaijani normalization and, in general, improvement of the situation in the region is the strict and consistent implementation of the tripartite agreements of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia dated November 9, 2020, January 11, November 26, 2021 and October 31, 2022, incl. on unblocking all transport and economic ties, delimitation and demarcation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, agreeing on the parameters of a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia, developing trilateral contacts between the public, expert circles and parliamentarians. The Russian Federation is ready to assist this in every possible way,” the Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized in a commentary.

It should be reminded that on January 23 the Council of the EU decided to establish a new civil mission in Armenia for a period of two years. ---02D---