Moscow Says Arrival Of EU Representatives To Armenia Will Aggravate Situation In Region

The appearance of the EU representatives in Armenia's border regions under the recently established mission can only create the geopolitical confrontation in the area and exacerbate tensions between Yerevan and Baku, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th January, 2023) The appearance of the EU representatives in Armenia's border regions under the recently established mission can only create the geopolitical confrontation in the area and exacerbate tensions between Yerevan and Baku, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

On Monday, the EU foreign ministers agreed to establish a civilian European Union Mission in Armenia (EUMA) to help stabilize the border areas, build confidence and normalize relations between Yerevan and Baku. The mission will carry out routine patrols and submit situation reports, which should strengthen the EU's understanding of the situation on the ground.

"The appearance in Armenia's border regions of representatives of the European Union, which has reborn into an appendage of the United States and NATO, and pursues a confrontational policy in the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) space, can only bring the geopolitical confrontation to the region and exacerbate existing contradictions," the ministry said in a statement.

The statement added that the EU attempts to gain a foothold in Armenia and oust Russia's mediation efforts could damage the fundamental interests of Armenians and Azerbaijanis in their aspirations to return to the peaceful development of the region.

The Russian peacekeeping contingent, as well as the Russian border guards serving on the Armenian borders, are a key factor in stability and security in the region, the Russian Foreign Ministry said, adding that they would respond to the actions of the EU mission, taking into account the development of the situation.

"We record that Yerevan preferred to make a choice in favor of the EU, without bringing the work on the direction of the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization) mission to its logical end. If the Armenian allies remain interested in using the potential of the CSTO, its mission can be quickly deployed in Armenia," the statement read.

The South Caucasus is considered one of the most conflict-ridden regions across the globe, primarily due to the long-standing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region (also known as the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh). In September 2022, the world saw new outbreak of hostilities between Yerevan and Baku in an area unrelated to Nagorno-Karabakh � the most serious escalation since the 2020 events.

The situation exacerbated in December, when the Lachin corridor, the only road that links Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh enclave but runs through the Azerbaijani district, was blocked by a group of Azerbaijanis described by Baku as environmental activists. According to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the corridor's blockade violates the ceasefire declaration brokered by Russia between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2020. The document delegated control of the Lachin corridor to Russian peacekeepers deployed in Nagorno-Karabakh. In late December, Pashinyan alleged that the peacekeepers did not fulfill their obligations regarding control over the corridor.