Armenia still withholds captives

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
April 21 2005

The fate of three Azerbaijani soldiers withheld by Armenia in Khankandi
for about two months remains uncertain.

“Although an agreement was reached to return them at a meeting
of the relevant joint commission, Armenia is not addressing the
problem”, says coordinator of the international working group on
prisoners, hostages and missing people on Azerbaijan Avaz Hasanov.
Hasanov told journalists that Armenia continues ignoring appeals from
international organizations. The working group has already appealed
to the newly-appointed head of the International Committee of the
Red Cross on Upper Garabagh to step up efforts at releasing the Azeri
soldiers soon, said Hasanov.

In compliance with the ceasefire signed in 1994 and international
conventions, both sides are required to return prisoners and hostages
immediately.