EU mission starts work in Armenia

YEREVAN. Feb 20 (Interfax) - The European Union has announced the launch of a civilian mission in Armenia for two years.

"The European Union is launching today the EU civilian mission in Armenia under the Common Security and Defense Policy," the Council of the EU said in a statement.

"Through its deployment on the Armenian side of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, the objectives are to contribute to stability in the border areas of Armenia, build confidence and human security in conflict affected areas, and ensure an environment conducive to the normalization efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan supported by the EU," the statement circulated during a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council says.

The mission with a two-year mandate comprises about 100 people, including about 50 unarmed monitors. It has been set up under the Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) in line with a decision by the Council of the EU of January 23, 2023 and at a request by the Armenian foreign minister of December 27, 2022.

The mission will be headquartered in Yeghegnadzor in the Vayots Dzor region of Armenia. Stefano Tomat of the European External Action Service (EEAS) will perform functions as civilian operations commander, and Markus Ritter has been appointed as head of mission.

The foreign policy chiefs of the EU countries earlier approved sending a civilian mission to Armenia for two years to promote stability on the country's borders. In response to Armenia's request, the mission will regularly patrol the area and present reports on the situation. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said the deployment of a civilian EU monitoring mission in Armenia was possible after the EU updated the country's boundaries and that there was no geopolitical context in the mission's deployment.

Armenian Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan told journalists earlier that Armenia invited an EU civilian mission as the existing security guarantees did not work.