YEREVAN, JANUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. Armenia welcomes EU’s decision to send a fully-fledged civilian mission, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said.

“We very much welcome the EU's decision to send a fully-fledged civilian mission to Armenia. We will readily cooperate with the mission and support its activities. This mission will contribute to the peace, stability and security of the region,” FM Mirzoyan tweeted.

The Council of the European Union today agreed to establish a civilian European Union Mission in Armenia (EUMA) under the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), the Council of the European Union said in a press release.

The objective of the Mission is to contribute to stability in the border areas of Armenia, build confidence on the ground, and ensure an environment conducive to normalisation efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan supported by the EU.

“The establishment of an EU Mission in Armenia launches a new phase in the EU’s engagement in the South Caucasus. The EU will continue to support de-escalation efforts and is committed to work closely with both sides towards the ultimate goal of sustainable peace in the region,” said Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

In response to Armenia’s request, EUMA will conduct routine patrolling and report on the situation, which will strengthen the EU’s understanding of the situation on the ground. The Mission will also contribute to the mediation efforts in the framework of the process led by President of the European Council Charles Michel.

EUMA will have an initial mandate of two years and its Operational Headquarters will be in Armenia. The Civilian Operation Commander will be Stefano Tomat, EEAS Managing Director of the Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability (CPCC). A Head of Mission leading operations on the ground will be appointed in the near future.

The Foreign Affairs Council on 17 October decided to set up the EU Monitoring Capacity in Armenia (EUMCAP) by deploying in Armenia EU observers from the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) in Georgia.

The EUMCAP became fully operational on 20 October 2022. It conducted a total of 176 patrols and completed its activities, as agreed in Prague, on 19 December 2022.

In a letter to the High Representative received on 27 December 2022, the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia invited the EU to deploy a civilian CSDP mission in Armenia.