The recent progress in peace negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia may pave the way for an earlier withdrawal of the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMA) from Armenian territory, according to Farid Shafiyev, Chairman of the Board of the Center for Analysis of International Relations.
Shafiyev noted that Article VII of the Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Interstate Relations between the two countries stipulates that no armed forces of third states will be stationed along their shared border. This provision applies both to EU observers and to Russian forces, but will take effect only after the agreement is signed and enters into force.
“We have so far only initialed the document. It will likely be signed after Armenia amends its Constitution accordingly,” Shafiyev explained.
Once the peace deal is formally concluded, Armenia will be obliged to remove all third-party forces from its territory — a step that could mark a significant geopolitical shift in the South Caucasus security landscape.
