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DEFENSE MINISTRY: ARMENIA READY TO EXCHANGE POWS
by Tatevik Shahunyan
ARMINFO
Friday, August 16, 12:18
Armenia offered to free an Azerbaijani prisoner of war on Thursday as
it continued trying to secure the release of an Armenian soldier who
was captured by Azerbaijani troops near Nagorno-Karabakh last week,
RFE/RL's Armenian service said. Armenia offered to free an Azerbaijani
prisoner of war on Thursday as it continued trying to secure the
release of an Armenian soldier who was captured by Azerbaijani troops
near Nagorno-Karabakh last week.
Deputy Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan said that Firuz Farajev,
an Azerbaijani soldier who crossed into Armenia a year ago, has
"changed his mind and expressed a desire to return to Azerbaijan."
To that end, Farajev has requested an "urgent meeting" with
representatives of international humanitarian agencies, Tonoyan told
the head of the Yerevan office of the International Committee of the
Red Cross (ICRC), Dragana Rankovic. He said the Armenian Defense
Ministry therefore hopes that ICRC representatives will visit the
POW in custody, according to a ministry statement.
Farajev was detained by Armenian troops at a western section of
Armenia's border with Azerbaijan in July 2012. The Armenian Defense
Ministry said at the time that the 20-year-old deliberately surrendered
to its forces.
The ministry spokesman, Artsrun Hovannisian, admitted that Tonoyan's
statement amounted to an offer to exchange Farajev for Hakob
Injighulian, an Armenian soldier who crossed the "line of contact"
east of Karabakh in still unclear circumstances last week. "The
Armenian side is ready to bring back its citizen at any cost,"
Hovannisian told RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).
The Defense Ministry statement quoted Rankovic as assuring Tonoyan
that ICRC representatives in Baku believe that they will soon be
given access to the Armenian soldier. Injighulyan got lost and was
captured on Aug 7-8 night.
by Tatevik Shahunyan
ARMINFO
Friday, August 16, 12:18
Armenia offered to free an Azerbaijani prisoner of war on Thursday as
it continued trying to secure the release of an Armenian soldier who
was captured by Azerbaijani troops near Nagorno-Karabakh last week,
RFE/RL's Armenian service said. Armenia offered to free an Azerbaijani
prisoner of war on Thursday as it continued trying to secure the
release of an Armenian soldier who was captured by Azerbaijani troops
near Nagorno-Karabakh last week.
Deputy Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan said that Firuz Farajev,
an Azerbaijani soldier who crossed into Armenia a year ago, has
"changed his mind and expressed a desire to return to Azerbaijan."
To that end, Farajev has requested an "urgent meeting" with
representatives of international humanitarian agencies, Tonoyan told
the head of the Yerevan office of the International Committee of the
Red Cross (ICRC), Dragana Rankovic. He said the Armenian Defense
Ministry therefore hopes that ICRC representatives will visit the
POW in custody, according to a ministry statement.
Farajev was detained by Armenian troops at a western section of
Armenia's border with Azerbaijan in July 2012. The Armenian Defense
Ministry said at the time that the 20-year-old deliberately surrendered
to its forces.
The ministry spokesman, Artsrun Hovannisian, admitted that Tonoyan's
statement amounted to an offer to exchange Farajev for Hakob
Injighulian, an Armenian soldier who crossed the "line of contact"
east of Karabakh in still unclear circumstances last week. "The
Armenian side is ready to bring back its citizen at any cost,"
Hovannisian told RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).
The Defense Ministry statement quoted Rankovic as assuring Tonoyan
that ICRC representatives in Baku believe that they will soon be
given access to the Armenian soldier. Injighulyan got lost and was
captured on Aug 7-8 night.