Azerbaijan releases 15 Armenian detainees

Admin l Sunday, June 13, 2021

 

AZERBAIJAN – The government of Azerbaijan has released 15 Armenian detainees and facilitated their return to Armenia.  Speaking on the development, Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken  described the release of the 15 Armenian detainees and their return to their families as a welcome development.

“We also welcome Armenia’s decision to provide Azerbaijan with important information that will facilitate humanitarian demining and avoid future casualties”, the department said in a statement.

The U.S. expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and the Government of Georgia for the essential role Georgia played in facilitating the release, which  it said bring the people of the region closer to the peaceful and prosperous future they deserve.

“The United States is pleased to support these steps and hopes they will lay the groundwork for additional cooperation. We continue to call for the return of all detainees and stand ready to assist the countries of the region in their efforts to continue cooperation and resolve outstanding issues between them”, the U.S. said and that it will continue to urge Armenia and Azerbaijan to reengage in substantive negotiations under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to negotiate a comprehensive political settlement to the conflict.