Meeting with NSS Director Instills Hope: Relatives of Missing Soldiers Discuss with Abazyan

Relatives and parents of missing soldiers reached agreements after a nearly two-hour meeting with National Security Service Director Armen Abazyan. In a conversation with reporters, Anahit Manasyan, a relative of one of the missing soldiers, noted that they agreed with Abazyan to provide the NSS with the information and evidence they have gathered.

“We have agreed to provide all the information we have collected to the NSS, and Abazyan, in turn, said that a more in-depth investigation would be conducted. We will also have periodic meetings to be informed about the work done regarding our children,” Manasyan mentioned.

When asked whether the outcomes of the meeting with Abazyan were satisfactory, Manasyan stated that they would not be pleased with anything until they have concrete results. “We have already agreed on the next meeting as well. Now we need to carry out the work on our end, gather evidence, and establish contact. Up to this point, the information and evidence we have gathered have mostly been provided to the prosecution. Now we need to present slightly different evidence that falls within the functions of the NSS, in order to both locate the bodies and, if we have living boys who are in captivity, to return them to their homeland,” Manasyan added.

She emphasized that, to some extent, the meeting with Abazyan gave them hope, but until there is concrete information regarding their children, they cannot be confident about anything. Regarding cooperation with the Ministry of Defense, the relative of the missing soldier stated that what that agency was supposed to do has not been realized. “The Ministry of Defense has collected our children and taken them away, therefore they must take responsibility. I understand that there was a war, and it was natural that we would have casualties, but at least they should provide information about their fates—whether they were killed, whether their bodies cannot be retrieved, whether they are in captivity. We do not know who among our children is alive and who is deceased; they have done nothing. After all this, how can we cooperate with that structure?” Manasyan expressed.

Parents and relatives of missing soldiers had gathered near the NSS building early in the morning. Before the meeting with Abazyan, they informed reporters that they had gathered data and were ready to provide it to the NSS. The relatives also emphasized that thanks to their efforts, the remains of 9 out of 21 missing soldiers have been found. Eight of them have been identified, while one has yet to be resolved.