Aliyev Criticizes EU Border Mission, Rejects Claims of Protecting Armenia

(MENAFN) Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has sharply criticized European Union border observers deployed along the Armenia-Azerbaijan frontier, accusing them of behaving as though they are protecting Armenia from Azerbaijan, according to official statements.

Speaking during a meeting with families in Zangilan in the Karabakh region, Aliyev said the EU mission was unnecessary and questioned its purpose. He argued that Azerbaijan does not require to be restrained in relation to Armenia, referencing past border conflicts and saying that “we achieved what we wanted” in those confrontations.

He further claimed that the observers were acting in a misleading manner, stating: “I said back then that if we fired a single shot … not a trace of them would remain. But they act as if they are defending Armenia from us.”

Despite his criticism, Aliyev emphasized that Azerbaijan does not intend to threaten Armenia’s sovereignty or existence. He said: “Presenting themselves as false heroes at this event in Armenia — saying that they ‘stopped Azerbaijan, otherwise this aggressive Azerbaijan would have destroyed Armenia’ — is all nonsense. We have never had, do not have, and will not have such intentions unless further provocations are committed.”

He also warned against what he described as hostile elements within Armenia’s political environment, suggesting that renewed provocations could lead to instability in the region.

The remarks come against the backdrop of long-standing tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which have fought multiple conflicts since the late 1980s, including the most recent escalation in 2023 involving the Karabakh region.

The European Union established a civilian monitoring presence in Armenia in early 2023 with the aim of observing border conditions and supporting normalization efforts between the two countries, according to official EU statements.

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