Plans for the provision of military assistance to Armenia under the European Peace Facility cause further concerns and undermine peace-building efforts in the region, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said, commenting on a joint EU-Armenia-U.S. conference in Brussels.
"The Azerbaijani side has, on numerous occasions, clearly expressed its position on certain approaches and actions towards our region by the European Union and some of its member states in particular," the ministry said.
During the Prague quadrilateral meeting of October 6, 2022, the Azerbaijani side was asked to give its consent on the deployment of a short-term EU Monitoring Capacity along the Armenian side of the undelimited border, which was supposed to contribute to confidence-building between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
"Unfortunately, after the original two-month term, without Azerbaijan’s agreement, the EUMCAP was transformed into the EU Mission in Armenia (EUMA), with a significant term extension and a much larger number of monitors. The mission has since been actively exploited as an anti-Azerbaijani propaganda tool. Additionally, with Canada joining the EUMA, it resembles a de facto NATO mission. This has also been accompanied by statements calling the EUMA a deterrence force and creating the illusion of a possible intervention by Azerbaijan, which has no ground whatsoever," the minstry said.
The EU was urged to take all necessary measures with a view to ensuring that the EUMA acts strictly as a neutral, civilian, and unarmed mission, in line with its declared mandate, and refrains from any activity targeting Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity or affecting its legitimate security interests in any other manner, the ministry noted.
"Another matter for concern is a France-led campaign aimed at militarizing Armenia, which also includes new pledges of larger military supplies (including lethal and offensive types of weapons). Another EU member state, Greece, has recently made statements about the deepening of military cooperation with Armenia. Additionally, plans for the provision of military assistance to Armenia under the European Peace Facility and reports that the April 5th meeting envisages military components cause further concerns and undermine peace-building efforts in the region," the minstry said.
According to the ministry's statement, "being a victim of armed aggression, occupation, and ethnic cleansing for almost 30 years, and even with four UN Security Council resolutions demanding immediate, complete, and unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian occupying forces, Azerbaijan has never received this kind of unconditional support from the EU and U.S."
According to the ministry, such actions by the EU and U.S. clearly have a one-sided and biased character and are based on a double-standard approach. "The mentioned conference is not conducted in a fully transparent manner, lacks regional inclusivity, and runs contrary to promoted and much-needed confidence-building and integrity in the region. It creates new dividing lines and so-called spheres of influence in the region instead of encouraging the Armenian side to negotiate in good faith," the ministry added,
"Given the revanchist mood in Armenia, such an open pro-Armenian public manifestation by Washington and Brussels might create a dangerous illusion in Armenia that the EU and US are going to support Armenia in its possible renewed provocations against Azerbaijan. In such a case, the EU and US will share responsibility for any possible destabilizing action by Armenia," the statement reads.
The Azerbaijani foreign ministry called upon all sides to refrain from steps that are counterproductive to the peace efforts and can trigger new waves of escalation and tension in the region when there is a unique window of opportunity to reach lasting peace, stability, and security based upon fundamental norms and principles of international law.
