BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. The parties to the armed conflict must take all necessary measures to investigate the fate of missing persons, record and share the information in their possession, search for the deceased, and treat their remains with respect, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Fariz Rzayev said at the 4th international conference on the theme "Strengthening trust and developing effective mechanisms to resolve the issue of missing persons" held within the framework of the Baku Dialogue on Missing Persons on Wednesday, Trend's correspondent reports from the event.
He noted that for the family of a missing person, that individual is never merely a statistic or a registration number.
"This uncertainty shapes the future decisions of their loved ones, whether spouse, child, or parent. It remains unknown whether there will be a grave they can visit and where they can mourn. More than 4,000 Azerbaijani citizens are missing, and their fates remain unknown. Thousands of families endure this suffering amid uncertainty for years, or even decades.
Following the liberation of Azerbaijani territories, we discovered numerous mass grave sites containing human remains. The remains were examined, identities were established, and dignified burials were arranged. However, the fate of the vast majority remains unknown," he explained.
Rzayev added that mines and unexploded ordnance continue to make search operations in the area dangerous.
"I once again call upon all parties to share all information in their possession that could help clarify the fate and whereabouts of thousands of missing Azerbaijanis and other persons.
Azerbaijan hasn’t limited its commitment to humanitarian obligations solely to cases involving its own citizens. Since November 2020, it has continued search operations despite security challenges and the risk of mines.
This demonstrates our commitment to a responsible humanitarian approach and the value we place on human dignity, regardless of whose remains are involved," he emphasized.
The 4th international conference on the theme "Strengthening trust and developing effective mechanisms to resolve the issue of missing persons", organized by the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons, is being held in Gulustan Palace within the framework of the Baku Dialogue on Missing Persons.
The event is attended by former heads of state and government, high-ranking representatives of international organizations and foreign countries, heads of agencies dealing with missing persons, experts, representatives of non-governmental organizations, and human rights specialists, as well as ambassadors and military attachés of foreign countries accredited in Azerbaijan and other officials.
One of the main directions of this year's discussions is the formation and strengthening of trust between the parties.
The purpose of the conference is not to be satisfied with discussions, but to contribute to the formation of practical and sustainable mechanisms that strengthen trust and cooperation, serve to ensure families' right to know the truth, facilitate information exchange, and expand the application of modern forensic, DNA and technological capabilities. The event will continue until October 10.
