Azerbaijani MP slams EU missions in Armenia as threat to national sovereignty PHOTO

The European Union has so far deployed three missions in Armenia, two of which posed a threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

The remarks were made by Ramid Namazov, Chairman of the Azerbaijani Parliament’s Temporary Commission against Foreign Interference and Hybrid Threats, during a public discussion in the Parliament on the topic "Hybrid attack on the South Caucasus's stability under the guise of a 'peace mission'," Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

According to him, only one of the missions was established on a legitimate basis. "The other two missions threatened the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. France plays a leading role in the EU mission in Armenia," Namazov emphasised.

Namazov noted that Azerbaijan has fully restored its territorial integrity and sovereignty under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev..

The president pursues an independent foreign policy that meets national interests, which does not coincide with the interests of some circles in the West.

He noted that these circles, hiding behind the European Union and its various state institutions, began to create threats, including hybrid ones, against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan at the request of the Armenian lobby.

The MP added that hybrid activities against Azerbaijan began to manifest themselves more clearly after local anti-terrorist measures in September 2023.

Notably, the European Union has progressively increased its presence in Armenia following the 2020 Second Karabakh War and the 2023 Azerbaijani operation in Karabakh, which restored Baku’s control over the region. In February 2023, the EU deployed a civilian monitoring mission (EUMA) to Armenia, with the official mandate of "stabilising border areas and promoting peace". Baku strongly opposed it, viewing the deployment as biased and non-consensual, particularly since it was made without Azerbaijan’s agreement.

France, seen as Armenia’s key ally within the EU, has been instrumental in shaping the mission's framework. Baku has repeatedly warned that Paris is exploiting EU mechanisms to push a pro-Armenian agenda in the region, potentially destabilising the delicate post-conflict environment. Azerbaijani officials argue that such deployments risk encouraging revanchist sentiments in Yerevan and undermine regional sovereignty agreements brokered after the war.

By Khagan Isayev