YEREVAN RECEIVED NO DOCUMENT FROM ICRC ON POWS' REFUSAL TO RETURN
news.am
Nov 9 2010
Armenia
Armenian authorities have not received any document from the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), saying that Armenian
POWs refuse to return to Armenia from Azerbaijan or want to leave
for a third country, Armen Kaprielyan, head of a working group
at the Armenian Commission on POWs, Missing Person and Hostages,
told NEWS.am, commenting on the statement by secretary of relevant
Azerbaijani commission Shahin Sailov.
"We have not received any notification from the ICRC. I must say
that international humanitarian law based on 4 Geneva conventions
and adjacent protocols permits leaving for a third country. It is
individual's right. Even if the statement is true, which I doubt,
we guarantee that those people would not face negative attitude in
Armenia and can leave for a third country," Kaprielyan stated.
However, he considers Sailov's statement strange in the light of
recent processes. "Despite Armenian authorities are ready to keep on
cooperating with relevant Azerbaijani agencies," Kaprielyan noted. He
did not rule out possibility that Sailov's statement is aimed at
blocking exchange of POWs.
As NEWS.am reported earlier, 6 Armenian POWs and a 5-member family
are presently in the territory of Azerbaijan. Yeghishe, Ruzanna,
Alfred, Gayane and Petros Gevorgyans crossed the border this January.
Servicemen Hrant Markosyan, Alik Tevosyan, Arthur Sargsyan, Ohan
Harutunyan, Gevorg Tovmasyan and Karen Harutunyan are in Azerbaijani
captivity.
From: A. Papazian
news.am
Nov 9 2010
Armenia
Armenian authorities have not received any document from the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), saying that Armenian
POWs refuse to return to Armenia from Azerbaijan or want to leave
for a third country, Armen Kaprielyan, head of a working group
at the Armenian Commission on POWs, Missing Person and Hostages,
told NEWS.am, commenting on the statement by secretary of relevant
Azerbaijani commission Shahin Sailov.
"We have not received any notification from the ICRC. I must say
that international humanitarian law based on 4 Geneva conventions
and adjacent protocols permits leaving for a third country. It is
individual's right. Even if the statement is true, which I doubt,
we guarantee that those people would not face negative attitude in
Armenia and can leave for a third country," Kaprielyan stated.
However, he considers Sailov's statement strange in the light of
recent processes. "Despite Armenian authorities are ready to keep on
cooperating with relevant Azerbaijani agencies," Kaprielyan noted. He
did not rule out possibility that Sailov's statement is aimed at
blocking exchange of POWs.
As NEWS.am reported earlier, 6 Armenian POWs and a 5-member family
are presently in the territory of Azerbaijan. Yeghishe, Ruzanna,
Alfred, Gayane and Petros Gevorgyans crossed the border this January.
Servicemen Hrant Markosyan, Alik Tevosyan, Arthur Sargsyan, Ohan
Harutunyan, Gevorg Tovmasyan and Karen Harutunyan are in Azerbaijani
captivity.
From: A. Papazian