Foreign Ministry comments on missing persons, Minks Group's expansion
By Mushvig Mehdiyev
Baku called on Yerevan to demonstrate open and transparent position in view of the Azerbaijanis who went missing during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, Hikmet Hajiyev confirmed that over 4,000 ethnic Azerbaijanis have been reported missing as a result of Armenia’s aggression against Azerbaijan.
"The presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan reached an agreement regarding an exchange of hostages and information at a meeting arranged by France last year," he added.
Since Armenia continues to violate Azerbaijan's territorial integrity by fomenting violent incursions against Baku it has become increasingly clear that Yerevan seeks only to promote war. Last November Armenia violated Azerbaijan's airspace prompting Baku to react.
"Armenia still continues to ignore international law and brokered agreements. Moreover it has played deaf to appeals from the International Committee of the Red Cross regarding the fate of the abductees,” Hajiyev said.
"There are some families in Azerbaijan who have been waiting for news from their missing relatives for over 20 years,” Hajiyev noted, blaming Armenia for such a human tragedy.
He went on to say that Azerbaijan as always will cooperate with the international community in view of resolving its hostage crisis.
Also, three Azerbaijani nationals - Hasan Hasanov, Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev - were captured in the Shaplar village of Azerbaijan’s occupied Kalbajar district on July 11, 2014 by the Armenian special forces.
Hasanov was reported killed after enduring brutal torture.
Asgarov and Guliyev were judged in a show trial in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region and subsequently sentenced to life in prison and 22 years imprisonment respectively on trump up charges.
Such a clear violations of international law sparked strong criticism across the international community. The co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group issued damning statements urging Yerevan to review its position.
Victoria Nuland and Jane Psaki from the U.S. Department of State have consecutively urged the Armenian authorities to comply with international law and handover both captives to Baku. Nuland called on the Armenian authorities to exercise restraint and demonstrate some degree of humanity.
Russia also voiced its stance on the captives' issue, as Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov revealed his intention to sit for talks over Asgarov's fate, who is an ethnic Azerbaijani holding a Russian citizenship.
After the U.S. officials slammed Yerevan for its stance toward Azerbaijan, the puppet regime in Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh region said the case of the hostages had been closed permanently.
OSCE mediation in conflict's settlement
Dissatisfied with the OSCE mediation effort so far, Baku called for Turkey and Germany to join the group in view of promoting a breakthrough and finalize the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The group includes so far -- the U.S., France and Russia.
This issue was actually presented at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's winter session nearly a week ago.
Hajiyev noted however that for now Turkey and Germany will not join the OSCE mediation mission. "At present, there is no need to change the format," he said.
"It is time to exert pressure on Armenia, to impose sanctions on it and urge it to put behind its destructive position,” Hajiyev noted, adding that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen should use such points as a base for all future discussions.
The OSCE Minsk Group's failure to achieve any tangible result in regards to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict so far has frustrated Baku.
Although the mediation group has been busy brokering peace talks in between Azerbaijan and Armenia, critics have raised questions as to the efficiency of such talks.
Periodical visits of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs - Warlick (US), Igor Popov (Russia) and Pierre Andrieu (France) have already lost their substance, claimed Azerbaijani officials.
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