“To be honest, no, that response did not satisfy me because I believe that the secretary general got the two issues confused,” member of Armenia’s delegation to PACE, Tatevik Hayrapetyan, said in response to Aravot Daily’s question about whether she was satisfied by PACE General Secretary Maria Peychinovich Burich’s response to her question about the return of Armenian POWs.
During the PACE plenary session, the delegates asked questions to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. Tatevik Hayrapetyan said on this occasion, “We have repeatedly stated in public and private interviews and meetings with our international partners that the issue of prisoners is not a bargaining chip. If we talk about other humanitarian issues, let’s talk and discuss it, but to try to equate the issue of minefield maps with the issue of Armenian prisoners of war is inadmissible. It is inadmissible, first of all, because Azerbaijan has an obligation to return Armenian prisoners of war under the November 9th trilateral agreement and also in accordance with all the principles of international law. Therefore, equating them is unacceptable to us.”
Aravot inquired about whether agreements were reached during the session on increasing the political pressure on Azerbaijan in connection with the return of Armenian prisoners of war and whether to expect the return of prisoners of war to the homeland in the near future. Tatevik Hayrapetyan answered. “It is difficult for me to say anything about practical steps because we are not participating in direct negotiations. But in terms of international pressure, which is also an important tool of parliamentary diplomacy, we have made every effort here. There was a discussion in the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons.
There is a report, and we met with the rapporteur. I made it a task for myself that the PACE rapporteur must know about the conversation that took place between Erdogan’s wife and Aliyev. I considered it important that the European platforms also realize what is happening and how they try to manipulate this issue for political purposes. I should also mention that there is a clear perception because after my speech many delegates approached me, asked questions, and were interested. There is a perception that the Armenian prisoners of war should return. And when the Azeri delegate showed a careless step during the sittings of the commission and said that our prisoners of war were criminals, it provoked a rather strong reaction from everyone. Even the people’s reaction showed that they do not understand such approaches.”
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Tatev Harutyunyan
