Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said on Friday that Armenia continues its “dialogue” with Azerbaijan to secure the release of the remaining captives held in Baku.
Asked to comment at a joint press conference with Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna in Yerevan, he reiterated that Armenia and Azerbaijan have established peace, but understandably, some outstanding issues remain, with the matter of the captives and other detainees being the most sensitive.
“Our position on this matter has always been the same. Of course, we believe that the established peace needs further institutionalization. Peace exists, and we are enjoying its benefits, but at the same time, we understand that this peace is new and requires care and attention.
Many issues have been resolved—for example, the transit of goods to Armenia through Azerbaijani territory, as well as the bilateral trade that is already taking place and which we believe will continue to grow. Unfortunately, and understandably, not all issues have been resolved, and the matter of Armenian captives and detainees remains the most sensitive issue for our society.
Yes, unfortunately, there are still Armenian captives and detainees in Baku, and our position remains the same: these individuals must be released as soon as possible. We are confident that their release will further strengthen the established peace. We continue our dialogue with Azerbaijan on this topic, and, of course, it remains one of the highest-priority issues on our agenda. We also continue to raise this matter with our international partners.
The cessation of Red Cross activities in Azerbaijan has further complicated the situation. We acknowledge that there is a problem and continue our efforts in this direction. There is no new development on this issue yet; whenever there is news, the entire society immediately learns about it. The only possible new development would be the release of a new group [of captives],” the Armenian Foreign Minister said.
