BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 30. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov met with Director General of the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) Kathryne Bomberger, visiting Azerbaijan, on June 30.
This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the meeting, the parties discussed issues of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the CMP, measures being taken in the post-conflict period to determine the fate of missing persons, as well as the importance of international cooperation in this area.
Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, noting that the fate of some 4,000 Azerbaijanis remains unknown to this day as a result of Armenia’s military aggression, emphasized that the issue of missing persons is one of Azerbaijan’s top humanitarian priorities. In this context, it was noted that Armenia’s full disclosure of available information regarding the locations of mass graves, burial details, and mine maps is of great importance for determining the fate of the missing persons.
The parties emphasized that the provision on missing persons in the draft Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Inter-State Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia is of particular importance, and noted the importance of practical steps to build confidence in this regard and address the humanitarian consequences.
At the meeting, the productive partnership established between the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Missing Persons, and Hostages and the International Commission on Missing Persons was highly commended, and it was emphasized that this cooperation is crucial for determining the fate of missing persons, enhancing identification capabilities, and applying international best practices.
Minister Jeyhun Bayramov noted that the Azerbaijani side, in keeping with its humanitarian obligations following the 44-day Second Karabakh War, conducted large-scale search operations despite the challenging security situation and the threat of landmines, and handed over to the other side the remains of more than 2,000 Armenian servicemen whose bodies had been recovered. This step was hailed as a striking example of Azerbaijan’s respect for international humanitarian law and its constructive approach to humanitarian issues.
The meeting included a presentation on the mass graves discovered in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories, exhumation and identification efforts, as well as measures taken by the relevant state agencies.
The parties also exchanged views on regional issues of mutual interest and on the ICMP’s activities in other countries.
