Netherlands recognizes all Armenian detainees in Azeri custody as PoWs – Ambassador

 17:17, 8 March, 2021

YEREVAN, MARCH 8, ARMENPRESS. The Dutch government considers as PoWs all captive Armenians who are held by Azerbaijan, the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Armenia Nico Schermers told ARMENPRESS.

“All Armenians held in Azerbaijan are recognized by the Netherlands as prisoners of war. The Netherlands has a very small role in the issue of the NK conflict settlement, and we are making our efforts through Brussels or the OSCE Minsk Group format,” the ambassador said.

Schermers expressed hope that a lasting solution to the conflict will be found.

Meanwhile, the Azeri government continues violating the 2020 November 9 ceasefire terms regarding the exchange of PoWs and other detainees. Azeri President Ilham Aliyev announced that they have returned all PoWs, and even claimed that the remaining Armenians in custody are not classified as such and are “criminals”. 

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan