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Baku hands over eight Armenian detainees to Yerevan

7 February 2022 15:51 (UTC+04:00)
Baku hands over eight Armenian detainees to Yerevan

By Vugar Khalilov

Baku has handed over back to Yerevan eight Armenian servicemen proceeding from the principle of humanism, Azertag reported on February 7, quoting the Azerbaijani State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing People.

Some of them were the servicemen detained while the Azerbaijani armed forces prevented Armenia’s military provocation on the state border in Kalbajar region on November 16, 2021, the report added.

In response to Azerbaijan's humanitarian gesture, Armenia is expected to provide information on Azerbaijani military and civilian citizens who were killed (and most likely buried in mass graves) during the first Karabakh war (1988-1994), as well as the location of their mass graves.

The issue was raised by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at the videoconference organized with the participation of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, French President Emmanuel Macron and President of the European Council Charles Michel on February 7.

At the videoconference, Aliyev underlined that Armenia had to provide information about the mass graves of Azerbaijani citizens that went missing during the first Karabakh war.

Aliyev said that 3,890 Azerbaijani citizens, including 71 children, 267 women and 326 elderly people went missing during the first Karabakh war.

In turn, Armenia promised to cooperate with Azerbaijan on this issue, which was also backed by French President Emmanuel Macron, Azertag reported.

Meanwhile, European Council President Charles Michel and EU Special Representative for South Caucasus Toivo Klaar welcomed Azerbaijan's step.

"The release by Azerbaijan and reparation to Armenia of 8 Armenian detainees is another sign of positive developments following the meeting with Macron, Aliyev and Pashinyan. The EU supports stability and prosperity in the region," Michel said on his official Twitter account.

"Welcome the release of Armenian detainees by Azerbaijan. An important humanitarian gesture following the quadrilateral meeting last Friday [February 4] between Aliyev, Pashinyan, Macron and Michel," Klaar tweeted.

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