17:57,

YEREVAN, MAY 27, ARMENPRESS. The negotiations for returning the 6 Armenian servicemen captured earlier today by Azerbaijani forces still continue, ARMENPRESS reports Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia Edward Asryan told the reporters.

‘’The negotiations continue with the mediation of the Russian peacekeeping forces deployed in Artsakh, where the adversary has presented a condition for the withdrawal of Armenian and their own forces. And we have informed that our units that occupied their positions on May 27 will withdraw only with condition if Azerbaijanis return our soldiers that have been taken hostage. No other condition is acceptable for us'', the deputy Chief of the General Staff said, adding that the armed forces of Armenia are ready to implement their tasks.

''Anyway, in order to avoid more difficult situations, the military leadership is trying to solve the issue through negotiations'', Asryan said.

The Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia said that initially they had set a deadline of 1 hour for returning Armenian hostages, but after one hour passed, Russian partners called and notified that the General Staff of Azerbaijani armed forces is holding consultations and is discussing the issue of returning the captured Armenian servicemen, which is the reason why the Armenian Armed Forces has not carried out operations adequate for the situation so far.

''If our condition for returning our servicemen is not carried out, we are developing plans which I cannot present here'', Asryan said.