What is Pashinyan’s EU mission group looking for in region?

What and whom Armenia serves is still opaque. The
pseudo-independent state, which once had ninety percent of its
border territory under the control of Russia, today is gradually
breaking away from the influence of Russia and trying to hand over
its territories to the West.

We would not be wrong if we say that 2020 is the year when
Azerbaijan restored its territorial integrity and simultaneously a
period that political players swapped over Armenia. The 30-year
occupation seemed to have led Armenia into a deep sleep under the
shadow of Russia, and its inability to wake up from that sleep has
kept it far off the political ground in the region. In addition,
Armenia’s lack of appreciation for the opportunities it had and its
short-sighted behavior left it in a desperate situation. The
question is, why has Armenia never been able to benefit from the
fact that it is surrounded by countries with strong economies in
the South Caucasus, such as Azerbaijan in particular?

Although the answer to this question needs an in-depth
interpretation, it can be enough to consider the events happening
today. If we look at recent events, we can witness that Armenia has
plunged into an extremely complex political game. Especially by
partially skipping the Russian factor, Pashinyan seems to have
given a bit more privilege to the Western forces. As they look more
active in the South Caucasus today creates the impression that
Yerevan is being played on a gambling table. Being in a confused
state in political games, Armenia backs the wrong horse; completely
ignores the priorities for the future of its country, and is
currently trying to turn the region into a battleground between the
West and Russia.

After the full operation of Azerbaijan’s Lachin State Border
Checkpoint, Armenia began to seek refuge in the West. So, starting
from January 2023, the European Union Mission group, whose real
mission is unknown, suddenly appeared in the region. First, under
the guise of humanitarian aid to Armenian minority in Garabagh, and
then by misinterpreting Armenian armed provocations, the mission
group began to expand its activities.

Yesterday, the mission group celebrated the opening of its base
with a new name – European Union Mission in Armenia (EUMA) in the
town of Ijavan, Tavush province of Armenia. It is noted in the
information that this is already the 5th base of EUMA opened in the
territory of Armenia so far. I wonder what the head of the mission
Mr. HoM Markus Ritter intends to do in Armenia by opening so many
bases.

If the mission group or EUMA has any interest in the
conventional borders between Azerbaijan and Armenia, then it would
be a more objective step for some of their representatives to come
to Azerbaijan as well, to observe the situation from the flipside
of the event. If we are talking about eliminating tension and
ensuring security in the region, there is an answer here – Armenia
and Azerbaijan, as two independent states, are capable of ensuring
peace between themselves. However, there is an exception, which is
Armenia’s taking an adequate step… But what does EUMA do for
this? Is the mission group really taking purposeful steps for peace
talks to take place?

Two days ago, after a long wait, a truck with food belonging to
the Russian Red Cross Committee on the Aghdam-Khankendi route was
able to enter Khankendi. This plan was actually an unambiguous
solution to some groundless disputes surrounding Lachin BCP.
Unfortunately, the European Union mission group and many
representatives of the West expressed their “true intentions” by
showing a stronger and pro-Armenian position regarding the border
with Lachin. In particular, the ICRC’s involvement in political
rather than humanitarian issues has made it somewhat of a spy for
the West. If the separatists in Garabagh did not accept the food
sent from Azerbaijan, it was an internal matter, but the fact that
the Western forces did not let in the food sent from Russia this
time began to look like the West was deviating from its
mission.

It means that the West intends to put pressure on Russia through
Armenia, and this means that external forces want create a battle
ground for themselves in the region. As I mentioned earlier,
Armenia completely confuses internal politics and tries to create
tension instead of peace in the region. As a tool in the hands of
certain forces, it deliberately exaggerates the issue of the
Armenian minority living in Azerbaijan’s Garabagh economic region
and deliberately focuses the attention of the outside audience on
the region.

In fact, this is the helplessness and incompetence of Pashinyan,
who cannot find a common language with the other side, i.e.
Azerbaijan. All these are factors that lead to his repeated lies
and denial of what he says. Pashinyan chooses not just what is in
front of him and what is available to him, but on the contrary, he
chooses the means that is wide of the mark and can put his country
and the region in danger. The reason is simple – Armenia’s lack of
perspective and political agenda and inability to see the error of
its ways and most importantly, yet finding hard to recover from the
trauma of 2020. These factors still seriously prevent Armenia from
choosing the right path

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Elnur Enveroglu is AzerNews’ deputy editor-in-chief, follow him
on @ElnurMammadli1

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