The expansion of the mandate of the European Union Monitoring Mission operating along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, as well as its future activities, has once again brought regional security and the peace process into focus. As negotiations on a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia continue, the proposed expansion of the mission’s authority has generated differing assessments among experts.
Commenting on the issue, political analyst Ahmad Shahidov told ARB24 TV that Azerbaijan and Armenia are currently enjoying a de facto state of peace, with no serious incidents being recorded along the state border. According to him, under such circumstances, there is no need to expand the mandate of the European Union Monitoring Mission operating on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. Shahidov believes that such a step could, to some extent, cast a shadow over the ongoing peace process between the two countries.
At the same time, Ahmad Shahidov stressed that he does not view the activities of the European Union Monitoring Mission on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border as being directed against Azerbaijan. In his view, the mission primarily represents a political message from the European Union aimed at supporting Armenia’s border security and reducing Yerevan’s dependence on Russia in the field of security. The political analyst also noted that the full normalization of relations between Türkiye and Armenia depends directly on the successful conclusion of the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process and the signing of a final peace agreement.
