In the context of the Armenia–Azerbaijan normalization process, despite the agreements reached on several key issues, there are still matters that require additional efforts and remain unresolved. One of the main issues is the release of Armenian hostages held in Baku, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan said during a joint press conference with Elina Valtonen, the OSCE Chair-in-Office and Finland’s Foreign Minister, responding to a question about the role of third countries in the exchange of information regarding hostages.
“We work on this issue on a daily basis — often behind the scenes, not always effectively, otherwise the issue would have long been resolved and off the agenda. But we are continuously working on it.
As always, I want to express hope that in the near future we will have good news on this matter. At least, we are not ceasing our efforts. In fact, just yesterday, on the sidelines of the peace summit in Sharm El Sheikh, we once again discussed this issue with our Azerbaijani counterparts. We hope our efforts will bear positive results soon”, Mirzoyan said.
Speaking about the participation of third countries in transmitting information regarding hostages, he added:
“It is especially important to take into account that the International Committee of the Red Cross has suspended its activities in Azerbaijan. As you know, much of our work on this issue was conducted through that channel. Now, yes, the issue is very relevant, and we need to find ways to fill that gap.
In general, our efforts on this matter continue and are not limited to one format. The issue is always present in our discussions with third countries. However, the primary channel remains direct communication between Armenia and Azerbaijan. I believe this is an important factor.”
