EU to send 100-strong civilian mission to Armenia next week

Panorama
Armenia – Feb 18 2023

The European Union plans to send a 100-strong civilian mission to Armenia next week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

"Next week, the EU will send a 100-strong mission contributing to peace and stability," she said in a tweet. "We welcome progress made on democratic reforms and will develop further the potential in our Economic Investment Plan."

The European Commission chief said she was glad to meet with the Armenian premier, adding that the EU is a "committed partner of Armenia."

Pashinyan and von der Leyen met in Munich on Friday to discuss various aspects of cooperation between Armenia and the EU.

On January 23, the foreign ministers of the European Union agreed to establish a civilian European Union Mission in Armenia (EUMA) to promote settlement in the South Caucasus. The two-year mission will be mandated to "conduct routine patrolling and report on the situation, which will strengthen the EU’s understanding of the situation on the ground," the European Union External Action Service (EEAS) said.