EU ambassadors to decide on extension of monitoring mission in Armenia today

EU ambassadors will convene today to discuss and make a decision regarding the extension of the EU Monitoring Mission in Armenia.

According to Ricard Yozviak, editor for European affairs at Azatutyun, if there are no last-minute surprises, the ambassadors are expected to approve a proposal that would allow the EU civilian mission to remain in Armenia for another two years, until Feb. 19, 2027. The composition and number of observers, as per the proposal, will remain unchanged, comprising 165 international and 44 Armenian staff members. The mission’s observation area will extend along the entire Armenian-Azerbaijani border, including the Nakhijevan region, according to official statements.

“Given the significant size of the area, the mission is unable to monitor every incident occurring along the border with the resources available to it,” the monitoring mission stated after the notification, adding, “patrols aim to visit locations where incidents have occurred and then report back to the EU headquarters based on information obtained from open sources and reliable eyewitnesses.”

Despite these statements and the fact that most observers are unarmed, Baku has criticized the mission since its deployment, accusing them of espionage and violating regional security. At the end of last year, an Azerbaijani official even claimed that the withdrawal of European observers was a prerequisite for signing a peace treaty.