ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE COMMISSION ON PRISONERS OF WAR, HOSTAGES AND UNACCOUNTED FOR

AzerTag
[April 09, 2005, 21:29:27]

The State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Unaccounted For
of the Azerbaijan Republic announces it has taken necessary measures
towards release from Armenian captivity of Bakirov Ruslan Fagni oglu
(born in 1958), Abdullayev Khayal Idris oglu (1986), Tgiyev Hikmet Adam
oglu (1983) who were taken prisoner in 15 February 2005 and kept in the
city of Khankendi. In this connection, the Commission attracted the
attention of relevant international organizations to this issue, and
has been kept informed of the conditions of the prisoners’ captivity.

As a result of the daily intensive talks with representatives of
the International Committee of the Red Cross, International Working
Group to release prisoners of war and hostages and search for the
missing, the fact of the Azerbaijani soldier’s being in captivity
has been brought to the notice of the global community and relevant
international organizations ensuring thus their security.

Although soldiers’ release became a reality more than once, the
Armenian side would hamper the process every time resorting to
groundless pleas that aroused serious concern of the international
organizations, which have demanded from Armenia a constructive approach
to the issue.

The State Commission has informed in a regular manner the local mass
media, public and parents of the war prisoners on conditions of their
captivity in Khankendi, and with the help of the International
Committee of the Red Cross, they have been allowed to be in
correspondence.

Unfortunately, however, some media organizations display irresponsible
approach to this delicate problem linked with a human’s fate by
disseminating unproved reports from dubious sources. For instance, the
agreement on transfer of three Azerbaijani soldiers to representative
of the State Commission was reached by the mediation of the ICRC with
the Armenian side on April 7. However, a while after the radio ANS
(Azerbaijan News Service) reported April 6 – referring to the press
agency Arminfo and website Panarmenian – on alleged capture of an
Armenian soldier, the Armenian side demanded his exchange for the
three Azerbaijani prisoners. As a result, the release process has
been postponed to uncertain term.

Considering the mentioned above, the State Commission on Prisoners
of War, Hostages and Unaccounted For calls on the mass media to
treat carefully with this very delicate issue dealing with the fate
of prisoners of war, hostages and missing citizens, and not allow
dissemination of unproved and groundless information contradicting
our statehood and national interests.

Baku city, 9 April 2005

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress