Ritter says EU mission to leave Armenian border after Baku-Yerevan peace deal

The EU Monitoring Mission in Armenia will cease its activities in the border area after a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia is signed, as it will no longer be necessary, head of the EU monitoring mission, Markus Ritter, said during an interview on Armenia's public television.

Report informs via Armenian media that Ritter said once the peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan is signed and ratified, the mission would no longer carry out activities along the border because there would be no need for its presence there. He made this comment in response to a question about a provision in the agreement initialed in Washington in August last year that bans the deployment of third-country forces along the border.

He added that the mission was aware it would no longer be needed at the border following the signing and ratification of the peace agreement. However, Ritter noted that the mission would continue to visit border communities, emphasizing that there was a mutual understanding to maintain such visits and continue engagement with residents of border areas.