Baku signaled to third countries not to interfere in issue of Armenian prisoners: Mirzoyan

The return of Armenian prisoners of war is constantly on the agenda, but what matters is not just effort but the final result, Ararat Mirzoyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Armenia, said in the National Assembly. He was responding during government question time to a question from Lilit Galstyan, an MP from the Armenia faction, about specific mechanisms for resolving the issue.

Addressing mechanisms for providing consular or humanitarian assistance through the mediation of third countries, Mirzoyan explained that these tools, used in international practice, had run into obstacles in this case.

“If you think I am unaware of the Geneva Convention and you are the expert on this issue, then your ideas about our work and our state are very far from reality. As for my words, you misunderstood me: the phrase ‘stay away’ was addressed not to us but to third countries, which were given to understand that they should not interfere. There are indeed consular mechanisms that allow us to ask partner states to visit our citizens. We sent such requests, but Baku gave them a clear signal not to interfere. That is the bitter reality,” the foreign minister said.