BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 18. Foreign ministers of 27 EU member countries agreed on sending a civil mission to the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, Trend reports via an official statement of the Council of European Union.
The statement said that 40 EU experts are sent to monitor the international border with Azerbaijan from Armenia, to analyze the situation in the region and draw up reports.
The mission deployment issue was reflected in the statement adopted on October 7 following the quadrilateral meeting of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev with French President Emmanuel Macron, President of the European Council Charles Michel, and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan in Prague.
Although it was reported that the mission consists of 40 people, Armenian sources say that the civilian mission includes 400 people.
Will the civilian mission consist of 40 or 400 people?
Sending a civilian mission of 40 people to the Armenian section of the state border is in line with the Prague agreement. If the civilian mission consists of 400 people, then this raises questions about the true activities and goals of the mission. Are some circles in Europe sending an army of 400 people under the guise of a civilian mission to the region, or rather Armenia? What will these 400 people do there, and what issues will be resolved on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border?
These questions bring forward two points about the objectives of some circles in Europe in connection with a civilian mission:
1. They seek hasty implementation of the Prague Agreement and penetration into the region;
2. Specific targets unknown; an attempt is being made to create the appearance that 'Armenia is not alone'.
On the other hand, against the backdrop of conflicting news about the EU sending a civilian mission to the region, there is a concentration of heavy equipment by Armenia on the border with the Dashkasan district of Azerbaijan, as reported by the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan.
This cannot but suggest new provocations and military plans for Armenia. Why would Armenia need to assemble heavy equipment at the border at a time when peace talks are intensifying? It seems that Armenia is planning a new provocation against Azerbaijan, hiding behind the European Union. Armenia has committed provocations before and faced a tough response from Azerbaijan.
Currently, the situation for Armenia is different and more complicated than before:
1. The shortage of military equipment and personnel in the army has reached its peak;
2. The fact that Armenia let the EU mission into the country further cooled its relations with Moscow.
An attempt at provocation by Armenia, hoping for help from the European Union, France and the United States, could turn into a disaster for Yerevan. Yerevan will be forced to face the dire consequences of its next provocation.
Armenia's attempt at provocation, hoping for help from the EU, France and the US can turn into a catastrophe for the country. Armenian will have to face grave consequences of another provocation.