Azerbaijani MFA confirms ongoing talks on detained vessels in Eritrea
Negotiations over Azerbaijani vessels detained in Eritrea are ongoing, according to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.
In response to an inquiry from local media, cited by Caliber.Az, the Ministry confirmed that discussions regarding the vessels CMS Pəhləvan, CMS İgid, and CMS-3, which were detained by Eritrean authorities, are continuing.
The vessels, operated by the Azerbaijani branch of Caspian Marine Services B.V. and flying the Azerbaijani flag, were forced to enter Eritrean territorial waters on November 7, 2024. The ships were en route from the Suez Canal to Abu Dhabi, UAE, when they encountered worsening weather conditions, prompting the diversion.
Upon their entry into Eritrean waters, the ships were detained by local authorities, who claimed that the vessels had entered without authorization. Eighteen crew members aboard the vessels are Azerbaijani nationals.
The Azerbaijani government has disputed the detention, asserting that the vessels’ entry into Eritrean waters did not violate international law. These legal arguments were communicated to Eritrean officials via Azerbaijan’s embassies in Ethiopia and Russia.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that meetings have been held with Eritrean representatives, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Eritrean embassies in Türkiye and Russia, as part of the ongoing efforts to resolve the situation. Additionally, a diplomatic note was sent to Eritrea on January 8, 2025, outlining Azerbaijan’s position and seeking the release of the ships and their crew.
By Tamilla Hasanova