The quadrilateral meeting between President Aliyev, Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Macron and President Michel on the margins of the first EPC Summit resulted in Armenia’s commitment to facilitate a monitoring mission on its side of the border with Azerbaijan. In turn, Azerbaijan committed to cooperate with the mission to the extent necessary. The sides came to an agreement that the EU mission would start in October 2022 and last for two months. The principal aim of the mission was to contribute to the restoration of peace and security, and to build confidence between the two states.
Follow-up
17/10/2022
Following the EPC summit, on 17 October 2022, the Council of the EU decided to deploy 40 monitoring experts to the Armenia’s internationally recognised border with Azerbaijan. Considering the temporary nature of the mission, the sides consented to the deployment of monitoring experts from the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM Georgia).
20/10/2022 – 19/12/2022
As of 20 October 2022, the first EU monitoring Capacity to Armenia (EUMCAP) was operational on the ground. It was tasked with monitoring developments on the Armenian side of its internationally-recognised border with Azerbaijan. EU monitors then conducted more than 175 patrols over the following two months. EU monitoring and reporting contributed to stabilising the situation between the two countries and supporting the work of the border commissions in the region.
23/01/2023 – 20/02/2023
Following an assessment by the European Union Planning Assistance Team in Armenia, which concluded its mandate on 19 December 2022, the Council announced and then launched its European Union Mission in Armenia. The mission is tasked with continuing to contribute to stability in the border areas of Armenia, build confidence on the ground, conduct active patrolling and reporting, and support normalisation efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
01/06/2023
After negotiations in the US and consultations in Moscow, the sides confirmed a common political will to normalise their relationship at the 2nd EPC summit in Moldova. Several topics were discussed during the meeting: connectivity, security and rights, the border delimitation, and a peace treaty. Also, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to meet again on 21 July in Brussels followed by another meeting during the 3rd EPC summit in Spain in autumn 2023. Germany joined discussions at the 2nd EPC summit.
15/07/2023
Despite tensions on the ground in Nagorno-Karabakh, President of the European Council Charles Michel emphasized the progress in the political discussion between the parties in a press statement after his sixth meeting with President Aliyev and Prime Minister Pashinyan on July 15 in Brussels. Following the meeting, the parties agreed to remain in close contact to ensure the continuation of peacekeeping efforts in the region. Charles Michel also announced his intention to organize another such meeting in Brussels after the summer, as well as to continue the dialogue on the sidelines of the next summit of the European Political Community in Granada, Spain, in October.
05/10/2023
At the third EPC summit, the leaders of Germany, France and Armenia met in a quadrilateral format together with President of the European Council Michel to discuss Azerbaijan’s 19 September 2023 forcing the evacuation of the Armenian populations in Nagorno-Karabakh. As a result of discussions, the leaders (among other points):
- expressed their support for the strengthening of EU-Armenia relations
- agreed on the need to provide additional humanitarian assistance to Armenia
- remain committed to all efforts directed towards the normalisation of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan
The European leaders called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to release all detainees, and to cooperate in addressing the fate of missing persons.
Azerbaijan announced on 5 October that it would prefer to meet with Armenia under the aegis of the EU alone, expected to take place in late October or early November.
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