Saturday, March 2 2024 14:39

ArmInfo. Armenia has not held discussions with the EU about sending European observers to the  Armenian-Turkish border, Armenian Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan told the RA Public TV.  

In the report on the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP),  adopted by the European Parliament in the context of the activities  of the EU civil mission in the Republic of Armenia, calls were made  to the European Union and its member states to strengthen the EUMA  mandate, increase its size, extend its validity, and also station  observers along the border with Turkey.

"To this day we have not had such discussions," Grigoryan said.

Referring to the latest border incident in Nerkin Hand, and despite  the statement of the Armenian National Security Service that Russian  border guards are in no way interfering with the activities of  European observers on any part of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border,  Grigoryan continued to insist that the EU civilian mission observers  stationed in Armenia, do not have access to the settlement of Nerkin  Hand in the Syunik region.

"There is such a problem, and we intend to solve it," said the  Secretary of the Armenian Security Council.  He noted once again that  there are Russian border guards there who are deployed to ensure the  security of the Republic of Armenia.

"At the border post of the FSB of the Russian Federation, located in  the village of Nerkin Hand, there are representatives of the border  troops, and they are there to ensure the security of Armenia.  According to documents, Russia is Armenia's partner in the field of  security. Maybe now they do not accept this, and from 2020 "We see  that the mechanism laid down in the 1990s is not working at all.  Russia has a presence there and was unable to prevent the  escalation," Grigoryan repeated again.

The Armenian official also answered affirmatively when asked whether  the number of observers from the EU civilian mission in Armenia would  be increased. "Yes, because the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan  is very long, and the resources that the EU civilian mission has had  so far are not sufficient to ensure work at the proper level. We  believe that the EU mission is doing effective work and therefore it  should have even more opportunities to continue the work and make it  more effective," Grigoryan said.

When asked whether it is possible that the EU mission will monitor  not only the border with Azerbaijan, but also the border with Turkey  and Iran, Grigoryan replied that the mission operates only along the  Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

Commenting on the statement by the official representative of the  Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova that EU observers are  "conducting intelligence activities against Russia and Iran," the  Security Council Secretary called this statement incomprehensible.

"I don't understand why Russia, voicing its problems with other  countries, involves third states. Firstly, EU observers are not  present on the border between Armenia and Iran, I don't understand  why Russian representatives make such claims. It is clear that they  are present only on the border with Azerbaijan, they bring stability  to the region, stability comes from the interests of Armenia. I don't  know how EU observers can spy on Russia. Russia can make any  accusations, let them provide facts, then we'll discuss," the  official said. 

To clarify that Armenia was preparing to consider the issue of  membership in the EU, Grigoryan noted that if the European Union  offers Yerevan membership, it will respond.

To the remark that Yerevan has already responded with a statement  that it is ready to deepen ties as much as the European Union wants  and is ready, Grigoryan noted that the EU has a very expanded agenda  with Armenia: from visa liberalization to the European Peace  Instrument.

"Security occupies a very important place on the agenda of the  European Union. France has begun large- scale military-technical  cooperation with Armenia," Grigoryan said.

Regarding the counterarguments that the variety of weapons supplied  by France is limited and there are no real weapons, Grigoryan said  that he was surprised by such opinions.

"The French are providing us with weapons with advanced  technologies," Grigoryan said.