DESTINY OF AZERBAIJANI POW AND MISSING PERSONS IN FOCUS
Minister of national security, chairman of State Commission on POW, Hostages and Missing Persons Eldar Mahmudov met with Martin Amacher, head of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Baku Office.
Chairman of the State Commission Eldar Mahmudov noted constructiveness of regular meetings and discussions with the ICRC, emphasizing that the question of missing persons stands higher than political motives and factors of humanitarian aspects, and that the members of family of the said persons, according to the international conventions, should receive appropriate information and expressed readiness of the Commission to promote the issue.
Eldar Mahmudov noted that currently 4504 citizens of Azerbaijan have been registered at the State Commission as missing. The ICRC initiated program “Ante Mortem” is worthy of approval.
Simultaneously, Eldar Mahmudov noted that Armenia ignores the norms of international humanitarian law by keeping the Azerbaijani soldier Mammadov Samir in captivity since 24 December 2006 up to date and announcing that he, allegedly, does not want to return to his country.
Eldar Mahmudov said that the State Commission has many times appealed the International Committee of the Red Cross and other influential world organizations with a request on release of the POW and expressed regret for absence of positive result. He stressed necessity of further activation of ICRC efforts to solve the question.
Martin Amacher expressed gratitude for warm reception, noting that fruitful cooperation of the International Committee of the Red Cross with the State Commission in the field of clarification of destiny of the victims of conflict would continue.
