Aliyev: EU Should Report on Its Programs in Armenia

According to Aliyev, the EU should report to him about its programs in Armenia. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated that one of the factors contributing to mistrust in the relations between Azerbaijan and the European Union was the extension of the mandate of the European monitoring mission at the borders without agreement or consultation with Azerbaijan.

He expressed confusion regarding the necessity of this extension. "In October 2022 in Prague, Azerbaijan agreed to the temporary presence of the mission for a two-month period, which consisted of a limited number of retired officers. However, when the mission was extended, Azerbaijan was not notified and was not consulted about it. Currently, negotiations are underway for an additional extension of the mission," he noted.

Aliyev expressed dissatisfaction with the behavior of the mission members, calling it "telescope diplomacy." He emphasized that Azerbaijan intends to raise this issue in its communications with the European Union.