EU to send a civilian mission to Armenian-Azerbaijani border

In the first meeting of the European Political Community Summit held in Prague, leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan, France, and the European Council agreed to let the European Union send a civilian EU mission to delineate the borders of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, French President Emmanuel Macron, and European Council President Charles Michel met for several hours on the sidelines during the first meeting of the European Political Community Summit held in Prague.

The statement said: “There was an agreement by Armenia to facilitate a civilian EU mission alongside the border with Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan agreed to cooperate with this mission as far as it is concerned.”

According to a joint statement issued after the talks held between the mission will start in October for a maximum of two months.

Macron said: “The aim of this mission is to build confidence and, through its reports, to contribute to the border commissions.”

Commitment to the Charter of the United Nations and the Alma Ata 1991 Declaration

French President Emmanuel Macron said that Armenia and Azerbaijan confirmed their commitment to the Charter of the United Nations and the Alma Ata 1991 Declaration.

Alma Ata, currently named Almaty, was the capital of Kazakhstan in 1991. The Alma Ata Declaration established the principles of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The principles included the recognition and respect for each other’s territorial integrity and the existing borders.

The Declaration was not able to prevent the full-scale fighting that erupted between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, in the winter of 1992.

Pashinyan’s Statements

Pashinyan said on Twitter: “In Prague, I reconfirmed again our proposal on unblocking of all regional communications. Azerbaijan again did not respond positively. I reiterate Armenia is ready for unblocking of all regional communications with full respect of our sovereignty and legislation.”

Aliyev’s Statements

On Thursday, Ilham Aliyev tweeted: “We will restore Karabakh and Zangezur. It is our national idea.”

But the next day, on Friday Aliyev said that he hopes that they are gradually getting closer to peace and that he appreciates Charles Michel's efforts to that end. He added that with each meeting in Brussels, they are getting closer to peace.

Claiming that they are not being voluntarily afforded a passage to Nakhchivan, breaking one’s commitment is an “utterly shameful act,” Aliyev said.

On the topic of the organization of the life of the Armenian population in Karabakh, he said that they are continuing informal relations with representatives of the Armenian population of Karabakh.

Aliyev also said: “The Armenians living in Karabakh – I said this in Aghdam yesterday – are our citizens, and we are not going to discuss their fate or their future life with any country, including Armenia.”

Turkey-Armenia Border

Pashinyan also held a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. This was the first time an Armenian and Turkish leader met since Erdogan met Serzh Sargsyan in 2010 in Washington.

Following the meeting, Erdogan said that he hopes for “full normalization” with Armenia. He added that while cargo and air transportation continues between Turkey and Armenia, as soon as Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a peace treaty, Turkey will open their borders.