Putin, Lavrov, and Shoigu are Consistent on Prisoner Issues, Says Foreign Minister

Politicizing the humanitarian and crucial issue of prisoner return is unacceptable. This was stated today by Armenia's Foreign Minister Ara Aivazyan during a question-and-answer session with the government in the National Assembly, referring to the Azerbaijani president's claim that Azerbaijan has returned all Armenian prisoners.

Aivazyan emphasized that the unacceptability of Aliyev's statement has already been confirmed by various international organizations. “You are probably aware that leaders from different countries and international organizations are increasing pressure on Azerbaijan regarding this issue. The latest was the Italian parliament, which yesterday adopted a resolution calling on Azerbaijan to promptly resolve this crucial humanitarian issue,” Aivazyan said.

The Foreign Minister also noted that the Armenian side is utilizing all channels for the return of prisoners, particularly highlighting the significant role Russia plays in the region. “Direct communications are taking place through President Putin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu regarding this issue, and the Russian side is consistently raising this matter with the Azerbaijani leadership,” Aivazyan stated. He also added that this issue has been specifically highlighted at the level of discussions among the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group.