President Armen Sarkissian on Wednesday met with the commander of the Russian peacekeeping forces in Nagorno Karabakh, Lieutenant-General Rustam Muradov, with whom he broached the return of Armenian prisoners of war.
Sarkissian stressed that Azerbaijan’s continued obstacles to search and recovery missions is unacceptable and stressed the need for a solution to this “extremely sensitive issue,” the president’s press office reported.
During the meeting the sides also discussed the need to return civilians being detained in Azerbaijan, as well as Armenians who are missing in action.
Muradov briefed the president on the ongoing activities of the Russian peacekeeping forces, praising the warm reception from Artsakh residents.
The Russian embassy military attaché, Colonel Andrey Grischuk and special representative of the President of Artsakh Boris Avagyan also attended the meeting.
Sarkissian also met with a delegation led by European Union’s Special Representative for the South Caucasus Toivo Klaar, with the Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin in attendance.
The post-war security and stability in the region was high on the agenda, with Klaar reaffirming the EU’s support for the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship and the peaceful settlement process of the Karabakh conflict.
Sarkissian touched on the humanitarian issues, stressing the need of quick and immediate return of Armenian prisoners of war from Azerbaijan, as well as the search for missing in action and their transfer to the Armenian side.
As for the new challenges caused by the war, Sarkissian discussed the demarcation processes, especially the security of bordering communities of Armenia’s Syunik Province.
At the meeting the officials also discussed the Armenia-EU partnership agenda, as well as future cooperation opportunities.
