ArmInfo.On August 19, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh Republic) Masis Mayilian received the head of the Stepanakert Office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) mission Pierre-Emmanuel Ducruet, the press service of NKR MFA reports.
An exchange of views took place on the fate of serviceman of Artsakh Republic Defense Army Arayik Ghazaryan, who had found himself on the territory of Azerbaijan under still unclear circumstances. In this context, the need for parties to the conflict to fulfill their obligations on complying with international humanitarian law was emphasized.
During the meeting, the sides also discussed a wide range of issues of mutual interest. The Foreign Minister noted the importance of continuation of the current cooperation and reiterated the readiness of Artsakh Foreign Ministry to do its utmost to assist to the activities of the Red Cross.
It should be noted that the press service of the Artsakh Defense Army distributed a message according to which on August 12, at about 12:00, on the defensive site of one of the military units of the Autonomous Region, soldier Arayik Ghazaryan (born in 2000) living the combat dispositions. Later, the Azerbaijani media reported with reference to the military department of Azerbaijan that the soldier is on the Azerbaijani side.
Armenian Minister of Defense David Tonoyan expressed confidence that the serviceman was on the Azerbaijani side, as he got lost on the ground. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan disseminated information about the allegedly Armenian soldier leaving his post due to hazing. Light scratches and ordinary scars on Ghazaryan's body are presented as evidence of violence against him.
However, the NKR Ministry of Defense denied this information, urging the public not to believe the false accusations of the Azerbaijani side aimed at humiliating the image of the Armenian soldier, and to wait for the ongoing investigation, the results of which will be published.
Armenian Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan also addressed the incident, saying that he had talked with the head of the Armenian mission of the International Committee of the Red Cross, where he was informed that he had not seen the Armenian soldier in Azerbaijan yet, but steps were being taken in this direction.
In turn, the Artsakh Foreign Ministry reported that the mission of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office was informed about the fact that a soldier of the Artsakh Republic Army Defense Arayik Ghazaryan was captured by the Azerbaijani side. According to the Foreign Ministry, Artsakh authorities are making efforts to repatriate prisoner of war Arayik Ghazaryan.