The War Is Over, But the Conflict Continues, Says Foreign Minister

The issue of the repatriation of prisoners of war and civilians held in Azerbaijan must be addressed urgently, and it would be a very positive step by the neighboring country, said Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazyan during a session of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Relations on March 29, as he addressed the situation surrounding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

“Contradictory statements are being made in Azerbaijan. On one hand, Azerbaijan wants to create the impression in the international community that the conflict is over, that the issue is being resolved and they are now ready for peace, but on the other hand, their words and actions prove exactly the opposite. It is clear why the President of Azerbaijan makes such pleasing statements for certain audiences; they have far-reaching goals, but the reality is different. The war is over, but the conflict is not resolved. This is something not only we reiterate but also the international community, the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, and various other actors,” emphasized Ayvazyan.

According to the Foreign Minister, to genuinely create an atmosphere of stability, security, and peace in the region, the core issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict—the status of Nagorno-Karabakh—must be addressed. “It must be based on the right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination. Everyone understands this; there are very few actors who do not. Achieving this will be a long and difficult process. Trust needs to be restored. Especially now, after this shock, the issue of the repatriation of our prisoners of war and civilians must be resolved immediately across the region. This would be a genuinely very positive step by the neighboring country,” stressed Ayvazyan.

The Foreign Minister also mentioned that he is traveling to Moscow on April 1 to participate in a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the CIS, where he will have contacts with various partners, though bilateral or trilateral meetings with Azerbaijan are not yet planned. “As for contacts with the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, there are regular communications both with the entire composition and with the individual co-chair countries, and the foreign ministers and ambassadors,” the minister added.

Summarizing his statement, Ayvazyan reiterated that thanks to the joint efforts of state agencies, the issue of prisoners of war has become very prominent in the international arena. “If you follow the news, it is clear that international pressure is increasing day by day, and this practice of hostage-taking has become problematic for Azerbaijan,” concluded Ayvazyan.