The stated aim of the mission is to contribute to the border commissions work on boundary delimitation of the international border of Armenia and Azerbaijan, facilitate the restoration of peace and security in the area, and to build overall confidence between the two states.[6][7]
Timeline of events
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, French President Emmanuel Macron, and European Council President Charles Michel met in Prague on 6 October 2022.
On 13 October 2022, a technical group consisting of 17 specialists from the European Union arrived in Yerevan to discuss logistics of the EU mission in Armenia.[10] Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia, Armen Grigoryan, described the European Union as an additional guarantor of security in the region and confirmed Armenia's readiness to support the mission in all matters.[11]
On 17 October 2022, it was announced that 40 experts from the EU would be deployed to Armenia following a meeting held in Luxembourg.[12] The EU also confirmed the experts will be deployed on the Armenian side of the border with Azerbaijan during the course of the observer mission. Most of the EU monitors will be transferred from Georgia, where a large number of EU monitors are currently stationed as part of the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM Georgia).[13][14]
While the timeframe for deployment has been set at an initial two months, EU officials believe a more permanent solution, like a dedicated "EUMM Armenia" will be needed in the long term. Toivo Klaar, the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia stated, "The parties are now looking to us; the parties are increasingly feeling that we can better meet the situation that Russia can no longer" and "the fact is now they think that we can be first, an honest broker, and second we promise things for the future that Russia cannot promise – we promise to get closer to the European Union."[15]
On 19 October 2022, EU monitors visited Armenian settlements along the border with Azerbaijan. The monitors were accompanied by local government representatives and members from the Armed Forces of Armenia. The EU delegation toured settlements which had been targeted by Azeri shelling in September 2022. The governor of the Gegharkunik Province, Karen Sargsyan stated "Azerbaijan violated the borders of Armenia in several directions in both 2021 and 2022 and entered our territory several kilometers deep in several directions. The presence of the Azerbaijani armed forces terrorizes the residents of the bordering settlements, disrupts their normal life and activities".[16]
On 20 October 2022, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan stated "I have to record with pleasure that the partners of the European Union have responded very promptly and made a decision." The Prime Minister also stated, "the initial observation mission shall work for two months, but there are opinions among experts that it is necessary to extend this period, or to try to make this observation mission permanent," during a meeting with government ministers.[17]
On 3 November 2022, a third meeting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani border commissions took place in Brussels.[20] The Secretary General of the European External Action Service Stefano Sannino, stated "The European Union urges the sides to take steps to improve security on the ground and to achieve progress on delimitation".[21] There was also speculation that Armenia and Azerbaijan could sign a Western-backed peace treaty by December 2022 in Tbilisi, Georgia.[22]
On 4 November 2022, Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan received the Head of the EU Monitoring Capacity Marek Szczygieł[pl] and EU ambassador to Armenia Andrea Wiktorin. Marek Szczygieł expressed gratitude to the Armenian side for the support provided to the EU civilian mission.[1]
On 19 October 2022, the OSCE confirmed it would deploy a "needs assessment team" to Armenia between 21 and 27 October 2022. On 20 October 2022, the EU confirmed that the OSCE mission is independent and non–related to the EU's mission, however, the EU's mission would liaise with all relevant international organizations, including the OSCE.[4]
Possible extension
On 6 December 2022, French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Catherine Colonna said the EU observation mission's mandate in Armenia needs to be extended. Colonna stated, "Tension between the two countries has not eased, both on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and in Nagorno-Karabakh. And it shows the lack of trust and security guarantees that Russia claimed to provide in this region. That is a fact. In this context, France and the EU are eager to help Armenia." The minister also stated, "The mission should remain as long as necessary. This is our belief and the desire of Armenians."[23]
Also on 6 December 2022, head of the Program for International Order and Democracy at the German Council on Foreign RelationsStefan Meister stated, "The EU needs to be more engaged to help Armenia preserve its sovereignty and stay on its path of democratization and reform. The mission should be extended until a border agreement has been reached" and "the EU should become more active player in finding a peace agreement on Karabakh and border delimitation agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. That means, the EU should further internationalize the conflict pushing for a EU Monitoring Mission between both states until a border agreement has been decided. It should offer to send peacekeepers into Nagorno-Karabakh to replace Russia. Russia cannot give an international legitimization to any agreement, the EU can."[24]
On 19 December 2022, the European Union Monitoring Capacity to Armenia completed its mission.[25] High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell stated, "The deployment of 40 European monitoring experts has proved to be effective and contributed to building confidence in an unstable situation. Today we start a new phase in the EU's engagement in the South Caucasus, with a transitional team that will prepare the ground for a possible longer term EU mission in Armenia, with the ultimate goal of contributing to sustainable peace in the region."[26]
Armenia: Deputy Foreign Minister Paruyr Hovhannisyan stated, "The Armenian side is open to all proposals that will strengthen our security in order to avoid border clashes. The Minister also said, "We see efforts from the West to support both sides to come to a common reconciliation."[27]
Bulgaria: Bulgarian president Rumen Radev emphasized that Bulgaria supports the fact-finding observation mission of the EU.[28]
Canada: On 2 December 2022, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly highlighted the role of the EU observation mission in Armenia towards maintaining stability in the region, and expressed support for the mission.[29]
Germany: On 19 October 2022, the German Foreign Ministry stated that Germany would like to participate in the EU observation mission to Armenia and that Germany is prepared to send experts to Armenia in November 2022.[33]
Lithuania: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "The idea to establish an EU monitoring mission at the Armenia-Azerbaijan border comes to life. It was first voiced by the EU-mandated trio of the Austrian, Lithuanian, and Romanian Foreign Ministers during their visit to the South Caucasus last June. If durable, it will become a significant step towards lasting peace in the region."[34]
NATO: NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs & Security Policy, Javier Colomina, stated "Good news to see our partners discussing border delimitation. NATO supports the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and welcomes EU efforts towards that end, including hosting talks and launching of the European Union Monitoring Capacity".[35]
Norway: Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt reiterated Norway's support for Armenia's territorial integrity and sovereignty, while expressing hope for the EU's mission.[36]
United States: The United States Department of State announced, "The United States is particularly pleased with the progress on an EU observer mission that will be dispatched to the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and this mission has the potential to build confidence between both sides."[37]US Secretary of StateAntony Blinken also welcomed the progress in official peace talks between the two countries and expressed the willingness of the US to contribute to the negotiation process.[38]
Negative
Azerbaijan: President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev stated, "Azerbaijan vehemently rejected an attempt to deploy a civilian mission of the European Union to the Armenian border from the Azerbaijani side" during a meeting held with Vladimir Putin on 14 October 2022.[39]
Belarus: President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko stated, "Russia is already a mediator in the settlement of the situation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and that is quite enough".[40]
Iran: Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi rejected "any European military presence under any guise" in the region.[41]
Russia: Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said, "We see this as yet another attempt by the EU to interfere by any means in the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, to oust our country's mediation efforts."[42] Meanwhile, during a CIS meeting in Astana on 12 October 2022, Russian Foreign MinisterSergey Lavrov stated that the CSTO was also ready to send observers to Armenia.[43]
Turkey: Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu criticized the EU and stated, "The EU does not fulfill the terms of its agreements".[44]
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was an ethnic and territorial conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, inhabited mostly by ethnic Armenians until 2023, and seven surrounding districts, inhabited mostly by Azerbaijanis until their expulsion during the 1990s. The Nagorno-Karabakh region has been entirely claimed by and partially controlled by the breakaway Republic of Artsakh, but was recognized internationally as part of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan gradually re-established control over Nagorno-Karabakh region and the seven surrounding districts.
The European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia is an unarmed peacekeeping mission operated by the European Union in Georgia. EUMM was conceived in September 2008 following the EU-mediated ceasefire agreement, which ended the Russo-Georgian War. The mission has around 200 monitors from various EU member states and operates with an annual budget of roughly 18 million Euros. Its headquarters are in Tbilisi, with field offices in Gori, Mtskheta and Zugdidi.
There are no diplomatic relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The two neighboring states had formal governmental relations between 1918 and 1921, during their brief independence from the collapsed Russian Empire, as the First Republic of Armenia and the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan; these relations existed from the period after the Russian Revolution until they were occupied and annexed by the Soviet Union, becoming the constituent republics of Soviet Armenia and Soviet Azerbaijan. Due to the five wars waged by the countries in the past century—one from 1918 to 1921, another from 1988 to 1994, and the most recent in 2016, 2020 and 2023 —the two have had strained relations. In the wake of hostilities, social memory of Soviet-era cohabitation is widely repressed.
Armenia and the European Union have maintained positive relations over the years. Both parties are connected through the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which was signed in 2017. Former Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandyan expressed confidence that the new partnership agreement would "open a new page" in EU–Armenia relations. While, the former High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini concluded in June 2019, that Armenia–EU relations are on an "excellent" level.
Bilateral relations between modern-day Armenia and the Russian Federation were established on 3 April 1992, though Russia has been an important actor in Armenia since the early 19th century. The two countries' historic relationship has its roots in the Russo-Persian War of 1826 to 1828 between the Russian Empire and Qajar Persia after which Eastern Armenia was ceded to Russia. Moreover, Russia was viewed as a protector of the Christian subjects in the Ottoman Empire, including the Armenians.
The EU Strategy for the South Caucasus is a long term strategy which is directed to create a secure political, economical and social environment next to the eastern borders of the European Union. This is an objective of the European Neighbourhood Policy, and forthcoming Eastern Partnership Program.
Civil Contract is a centrist political party in Armenia.
The Second Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict in 2020 that took place in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding occupied territories. It was a major escalation of an unresolved conflict over the region, involving Azerbaijan, Armenia and the self-declared Armenian breakaway state of Artsakh. The war lasted for 44 days and resulted in Azerbaijani victory, with the defeat igniting anti-government protests in Armenia. Post-war skirmishes continued in the region, including substantial clashes in 2022.
The 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement was an armistice agreement that ended the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War. It was signed on 9November by the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and the President of Russia Vladimir Putin, and ended all hostilities in the Nagorno-Karabakh region from 00:00, on 10 November 2020 Moscow time. The president of the self-declared Republic of Artsakh, Arayik Harutyunyan, also agreed to an end of hostilities.
In the aftermath of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, peacekeeping operations were initiated by Russia in the Nagorno-Karabakh region to monitor the ceasefire between the Armenian and Azerbaijani forces. Separate from the Russian operation, Turkey also has personnel working in a joint Russian–Turkish monitoring centre.
The military forces of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been engaged in a border conflict since 12 May 2021, when Azerbaijani soldiers crossed several kilometers (miles) into Armenia in the provinces of Syunik and Gegharkunik. Despite international calls for withdrawal from the European Parliament, the United States, and France, Azerbaijan has maintained its presence on Armenian soil, occupying at least 215 square kilometres (83 sq mi) of internationally recognized Armenian territory. This occupation follows a pattern of Azerbaijan provoking cross-border fights and instigating ceasefire violations when its government is unhappy with the pace of negotiations with Armenia.
Armenia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization have maintained a formal relationship since 1992, when Armenia joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. Armenia officially established bilateral relations with NATO in 1994 when it became a member of NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme. In 2002, Armenia became an Associate Member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
The 2022 Armenian protests were a series of anti-government protests in Armenia that started on 5 April 2022. The protests continued into June 2022, and many protesters were detained by police in Yerevan. Protestors demanded Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan resign over his handling of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. On 14 June 2022, the opposition announced their decision to terminate daily demonstrations aimed at toppling Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan after failing to achieve popular support.
On 12 September 2022, a series of clashes erupted between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops along the Armenia–Azerbaijan border, marking a major escalation in the current border crisis between Armenia–Azerbaijan and resulting in nearly 300 deaths and dozens of injuries on both sides by 14 September. A number of human rights organizations and governments – including the United States, European Parliament, Canada, France, Uruguay, Cyprus – stated that Azerbaijan had launched an attack on positions inside the Republic of Armenia.
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The European Union Mission in Armenia (EUMA) is a European Union Common Security and Defence Policy civilian deployment on the territory of the Republic of Armenia.
An OSCE Needs Assessment Team in Armenia was deployed by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in the territory of the Republic of Armenia between 21 and 27 October 2022 following the Armenia–Azerbaijan border crisis.
Armenia–OSCE relations began when Armenia joined the OSCE's predecessor, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), on 30 January 1992. The CSCE transformed into the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) shortly afterwards in 1995.
The European Union Planning Assistance Team in Armenia (EUPAT) was a European Union initiative established to assess the potential of deploying a long-term civilian CSDP mission to Armenia. It replaced the European Union Monitoring Capacity to Armenia, which concluded its mandate on 19 December 2022 and was superseded by a longer term mission, the European Union Mission in Armenia on 23 January 2023.
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