Tweet
ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN TO SWAP PRISONERS
Press TV
Oct 28 2010
Iran
President Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed
on a Russian-mediated swap of military personnel captured during
nearly two decades of conflict between the two former Soviet republics.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev mediated the deal in the city of
Astrakhan on Wednesday.
Medvedev called it a "small but vital" deal aimed at "strengthening
trust" between the two countries.
"Russia will continue its efforts. I believe a result is reachable. It
inspires a somewhat moderate optimism, but the bulk of work is still
ahead," he added.
Both President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and President Serzh Sargsyan
of Armenia were present during Wednesday's meeting.
The move is mostly regarded as a trust-building gesture as the total
number of prisoners is reported to be less than 10 from both sides.
The ethnic Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh area has been fought over
since Armenian troops took over the area in the early 1990s in
a conflict that has left an estimated 30,000 people dead and one
million displaced.
Both Azerbaijan and Armenia claim the territory.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in May 1994, but the
dispute remains unresolved despite efforts by neighboring Iran and
Russia to find a peaceful solution.
Iran has offered a trilateral meeting to be held to resolve the
dispute.
From: A. Papazian
Press TV
Oct 28 2010
Iran
President Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed
on a Russian-mediated swap of military personnel captured during
nearly two decades of conflict between the two former Soviet republics.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev mediated the deal in the city of
Astrakhan on Wednesday.
Medvedev called it a "small but vital" deal aimed at "strengthening
trust" between the two countries.
"Russia will continue its efforts. I believe a result is reachable. It
inspires a somewhat moderate optimism, but the bulk of work is still
ahead," he added.
Both President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and President Serzh Sargsyan
of Armenia were present during Wednesday's meeting.
The move is mostly regarded as a trust-building gesture as the total
number of prisoners is reported to be less than 10 from both sides.
The ethnic Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh area has been fought over
since Armenian troops took over the area in the early 1990s in
a conflict that has left an estimated 30,000 people dead and one
million displaced.
Both Azerbaijan and Armenia claim the territory.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in May 1994, but the
dispute remains unresolved despite efforts by neighboring Iran and
Russia to find a peaceful solution.
Iran has offered a trilateral meeting to be held to resolve the
dispute.
From: A. Papazian