Prisoners of War Must Be Returned, Lakot

In Armenia, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of France, Jonathan Lakot, assures that the Armenian prisoners of war held in Azerbaijan must be returned to the Republic of Armenia.

According to Armenpress, Lakot made this statement during a meeting with journalists. “My stance regarding the issue of prisoners of war is clear and simple – they must be returned. The process should be based not only on the November 9 statement but also on the protection of human rights established by international conventions,” stated the French ambassador in Armenia.

He expressed that the OSCE Minsk Group remains the only body where discussions and negotiations can take place to provide a diplomatic solution to the issue. “When we talk about the OSCE Minsk Group, we must understand that we are dealing with a body that ensures negotiations and is ready to mediate and assist both sides. The Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs also highlighted the OSCE Minsk Group as the sole body for mediation during her visit to Armenia,” Lakot added. “The co-chairs of the Minsk Group are currently engaged in negotiations to carry out a working visit to the region,” said Jonathan Lakot.