EUMA observers not patrolling sections of border with Azerbaijan  under delimitation - Markus Ritter 

ArmInfo.Markus Ritter, the head of the European Union's monitoring mission in Armenia, told CivilNet  last week his observers are not currently patrolling sections of the border with Azerbaijan that are under delimitation, but plan to do so in the future. They also intend to go to areas they did not  previously have access to, in light of this month's withdrawal of Russian troops from Armenia's border with Azerbaijan.  

The EU first deployed unarmed civilian monitors to Armenia in the  aftermath of Azerbaijan's massive attack in September 2022. They have  an initial mandate of two years, which will expire in February 2025,  but can be extended. Azerbaijan, Iran, and Russia have each  repeatedly stressed their opposition to the mission.

Here are the highlights of Ritter's conversation with CivilNet - the  mission chief in his own words. The full video interview will be  posted this week.

Q: In a landmark agreement last month, Yerevan and Baku formally  agreed for the first time to delimit, or legally define, portions of  the border along Armenia's northeastern Tavush region and  Azerbaijan's Gazakh region. Are EU monitors patrolling those sections  of the border?

A: At the moment, as long as there's these very open and heated  discussions, we will stay away from there, because we don't want to  somehow influence this process. It's Armenia who has to deal with  Azerbaijan.  As soon as these things are settled and agreed, we will  continue to patrol there.As soon as we know where exactly the border  is and agreed to, we will continue.

Yes, that is what we are doing [disengaging for the duration of  delimitation - ed.] because it started all these blockades and small  demonstrations and whatever. And this is not on us to show up there  and to be somehow trapped in this. This [delimitation - ed.] is an  Armenian sovereign decision. The government has to deal with its  people. They decide, we are following the policy. As soon as the  government says it's settled, we will continue."

In February, clashes with Azerbaijani forces around Nerkin Hand  village in Armenia's southern Syunik region left four Armenian  soldiers dead. At that time, EU observers were unable to access the  village, as Russian troops were stationed on that portion of the  border. Earlier this month, Russia agreed to withdraw its forces from  Armenia's borders with Azerbaijan. Does the EU mission currently have  access to Nerkin Hand?

We were there last July, and we were blocked for two hours [by  Russian border guards - ed.], after which it was negotiated by the  Armenian military to let us through. Afterwards, the situation  deteriorated because of the events around Nagorno-Karabakh, so there  was no possibility to go. Because of all these negotiations, we have  stayed away. We don't want to provoke the Russians, and we have so  many kilometers to patrol. If it is not appropriate at the moment for  the government, we stay away. But now with the pullout of the Russian  border guards, we will go there when the retreat of the Russians is  finalized. We don't want to provoke any incidents, so we will wait  until they have left and then start our patrols, because we have  freedom of movement in the whole country.

How do you respond to repeated criticism from Azerbaijan, Iran, and  Russia, which have each said the mission amounts to outside  interference in the region?

The reactions to this false information have to come from Brussels,  and they're coming, but always in a more moderate way than the  accusations come.I can only convince you we don't have a hidden  agenda.  We are a civilian observer mission, with most of us being  police officers.We want to bring solutions to this conflict. We don't  want to confront somebody. That's why if there is violence, war and  somebody with force is trying to get us out, then it's easy to get us  out, because we are not what the Russians say. We are not a covert  power military unit or something like that.

What has the response been to the mission in border villages on the  frontlines?

Everywhere we are going, the people are very happy to see us. We are  the only international organization who also tries to reach the  remotest places here. We aren't just here in Yeghegnadzor or Kapan  only, but we sometimes go up to 3,500 meters altitude to reach the  remotest positions, and in valleys to reach the remotest farms and  little villages. And for [their residents - ed.], if they see our  cars coming with a European flag, yeah, that brings some hope, that  at least there is a foreign international organization who shows  interest and who is willing to listen to the people, who can talk  about their various concerns. It works quite well.