Marking today’s end of the European Union’s monitoring mission along the Armenian side of the border with Azerbaijan, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell announced the deployment of a transitional planning assistance team in Armenia “that will prepare the ground for a possible longer term EU mission in Armenia, with the ultimate goal of contributing to sustainable peace in the region.”

Borrell, in an EU press release, writes the deployment of 40 European monitoring experts in October has proved to be effective and contributed to building confidence in an unstable situation.

Borrell says the new mission, if approved, will be a civilian CSDP mission.

CSDP (Common Security and Defence Policy) is an EU structure that enables the Union to take a leading role in peace-keeping operations, conflict prevention and in the strengthening of international security.

The CDSP is headed by Borrell.