DISINFO: EU mission in Armenia is an attempt to push out Russian mediation
SUMMARY
The EU mission to Armenia is yet another attempt to intervene in the settlement of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, to put pressure on the mediation efforts of Russia.
The EU does not think or care about the consequences such a mission for the existing mediation track between Yerevan and Baku or for the regional stability.
Historically, the EU missions do not lead to a real settlement and are doomed to fail.
RESPONSE
Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Russia as the ultimate target of international events, accusing the ever-aggressive West of having an anti-Russian agenda in the Caucasus. The article advances the claim that the Caucasus is exclusively within Russia's zone of geopolitical interests and attempts to discredit the recently announced EU mission.
The claim attempts to preempt Russia's weakening position in the region.
The EU monitoring Capacity in Armenia is not directed against Russia, or any third country.
The EU Monitoring Capacity in Armenia will report on ceasefire related developments on the Armenian side of the internationally recognised border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. This will allow the EU to better support the work of the two parties’ border commissions. Based on the agreement by Armenia and Azerbaijan, the EU is closely involved in leading a peace process between both sides.
The EU Monitoring Capacity responds to the agreement reached at the quadrilateral meeting between President Aliyev, Prime Minister Pashinyan, French President Macron and President of the European Council Michel.
The decision to deploy the EU monitors on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan was made after the September 2022 escalation.
Russia is a party of the trilateral 2020 ceasefire agreement and has been continuously mediating in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict since 1992. Russia also is a permanent member of the OSCE Minsk group. After the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, Azerbaijani government took a position that OSCE Minsk Group should no longer be dealing with the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as "it has been resolved".
Armenia is a member of the CSTO, but the organisation did not properly respond to the escalation. Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan criticized the organisation for not responding to his country's requests for help in 2020, as well as in 2021, when Azerbaijani troops invaded Armenia. In September 2022, the organisation again refused assistance to Armenia after a corresponding appeal in connection with the armed aggression in the country by Azerbaijan.
Moreover, the Russian military base stationed in Armenia under the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance of August 29, 1997, did not react either. Article 3 of the agreement provides that the parties will take all available measures to eliminate the threat to peace, or counteract attacks of aggression against them from another state and will provide each other with assistance, including military.