Azerbaijan, ICMP step up cooperation on missing persons issue

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has held talks with Kathryne Bomberger, Director General of the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), who is on an official visit to Azerbaijan, to discuss cooperation on resolving the issue of missing persons.

According to Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry, the meeting focused on the cooperation agenda between Azerbaijan and the International Commission on Missing Persons, ongoing efforts to determine the fate of missing Azerbaijani citizens, and the importance of international collaboration in addressing humanitarian issues stemming from the conflict, Caliber.Az reports.

Bayramov noted that the fate of approximately 4,000 Azerbaijani citizens remains unknown as a result of Armenia's military aggression, stressing that clarifying their whereabouts continues to be one of Azerbaijan's highest humanitarian priorities.

He emphasized that the disclosure by Armenia of comprehensive information on the locations of mass graves and maps of mined areas is essential for establishing the fate of the missing.

The sides also underscored the significance of the provision on missing persons included in the draft peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia on the establishment of interstate relations. They highlighted the need for practical confidence-building measures and concrete steps to address the humanitarian consequences of the conflict.

The meeting praised the effective partnership between Azerbaijan's State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons and the ICMP, emphasizing its contribution to clarifying the fate of missing persons, enhancing identification capabilities and applying international expertise.

FM Bayramov noted that, in line with Azerbaijan's humanitarian commitments, Baku returned the remains of more than 2,000 Armenian servicemen to the Armenian side following the 44-day Patriotic War.

He also briefed Bomberger on the discovery of mass graves in Azerbaijan's territories liberated from occupation, as well as the ongoing exhumation and identification efforts there.

The meeting concluded with an exchange of views on regional issues of mutual interest and a discussion of the ICMP's activities and priorities in other countries.

By Vafa Guliyeva