Armenia to reach acceptable solution with EU over monitoring mission after peace treaty is signed

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said Yerevan will discuss “acceptable and mutually beneficial agreements” with the EU regarding the activities of the monitoring mission (EUMA) after the signing and subsequent ratification of the peace treaty with Azerbaijan.

“We can always discuss and achieve agreements with our partners in the EU about ways of cooperation with the EU monitoring mission. The monitoring mission was deployed at our proposal, our request. The purpose is to ensure, contribute to border stability between Armenia and Azerbaijan, stability and peace in the border areas, and we must note that since the deployment of the mission it has truly served its goal, the mission is indeed a success.  At the same time, when the agreement [peace treaty] is signed and ratified, and takes effect, naturally, peace and stability will become very institutional along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. I’d like to assure that when this agreement is signed, ratified, and takes effect, we will reach acceptable and mutually beneficial solutions with our EU partners regarding the cooperation with the civilian mission,” the FM said.

The governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan announced on March 13 that the negotiations around the peace treaty have been successfully concluded. The date and location of signing the agreement are yet to be determined. One of the terms of the agreement pertains to ruling out the presence of third country forces along the border.