KARABAKH IS OPEN FOR IWG

Lragir.am
20 June 06

The representatives of the International Working Group /IWG/
for Search of Missing, Captives and Release of POWs are visiting
Stepanakert. The German co-chair of the IWG Bernhard Clasen told the
reporter of Lragir.am that during his meeting a number of definite
issues and the prospects of cooperation with the government agencies of
Karabakh must be discussed. Bernhard Clasen said during their meetings
with the government agencies in charge of POWs it became clear that
all the doors remain open for the IWG. He said that Azerbaijan also
knows it. In answer to the question whether they have visited placed
where POW’s might be kept, Bernhard Clasen said they do not have
such a mission. He called the families of the missing to report any
information they have to them.

The question of the missing and captives is one of the most complicated
issues in the Karabakh-Azerbaijani relations. The governmental and
non-governmental organizations of both sides present lists of thousands
of missing people. However, experts say 14 years have already passed
since the armistice and it is not probable that captives will be kept
at homes or in prison. In other words, the efforts of the international
organizations are directed at finding out the fate of the missing
rather than searching for these people.

Answering the question of Lragir.am, Bernhard Clasen, nevertheless,
did not deny that some people may still be alive but the chance to find
them is getting smaller and smaller. The German human rights defender
commended the decision of the PACE to appoint a special reporter on
the missing after 14 years. Bernhard Clasen said during his visit to
Yerevan Leo Platvoet met with their coordinator in Armenia Karineh
Minasyan. Platvoet proposed to set up a Karabakh-Armenia-Azerbaijan
committee for the search of captives. The delegation of IWG also
includes Co-Chair Paata Zakareashvili, the Azerbaijani coordinator
Avaz Hasanov and the Armenian coordinator Karineh Minasyan.