Armenia’s efforts to secure progress through third countries on the issue of Armenians held in Azerbaijan have been unsuccessful, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said, adding that Yerevan expects to continue working through direct dialogue with Baku.
Mirzoyan made the comments while answering questions in Armenia’s parliament.
He declined to identify the countries Armenia had approached, citing the sensitivity of the matter and the need to continue engagement with partners. He said the outcome should be judged by a concrete measure: the release of those in custody.
A separate effort involved arranging visits and consular support through representatives of third countries. Mirzoyan said those attempts had also failed to produce results so far.
Those imprisoned in Azerbaijan include former leaders of the separatist Karabakh administration, including Araik Harutyunyan and Ruben Vardanyan, who were convicted by Azerbaijani courts on serious charges.
Rasim Musabekov, a member of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis, said a presidential pardon could be one mechanism for release. He argued that attempts to use international pressure would not change Baku’s position.
Musabekov also questioned whether Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government was interested in the return of the former Karabakh leaders. He said that, if released, they could join the opposition and create additional political problems for the Armenian authorities.
Source: Vesti Baku.