YEREVAN, DECEMBER 27, ARTSAKHPRESS. In response to Dutch lawmakers, the Foreign Minister of the Netherlands Wopke Hoekstra sent a letter to the House of Representatives based on the report by the Dutch ambassador to Armenia regarding the territories of Armenia affected by Azerbaijani aggression.
The letter says that during the fighting from 12 May 2021 until 13 September 2022 Azerbaijan occupied 40 square kilometers, and another approximately 60 square kilometers as a result of the September 13 events of internationally recognized sovereign territory of Armenia.
The Dutch FM also mentioned that the Netherlands is supporting EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the EU Commission Josep Borrell’s demand that Azerbaijan must pull back its troops to the existing borders as of September 12.
The foreign minister also addressed the question regarding the possible extension of the EU mission or creating an independent mission, emphasizing that the government of Netherlands has a positive position regarding the further deployment of the mission in Armenia, explaining that negotiations are currently in process in the EU regarding the mission’s future, while the observers sent at this moment are from the EU monitoring mission in Georgia (EUMM Georgia).
