ArmInfo. The issue of the possibility of the return of Dilgam Askerov and Shahbaz Guliyev will be decided by Artsakh. This was announced on September 20 during a briefing by the Minister of Defense of Armenia, the head of the commission on prisoners, hostages and missing persons David Tonoyan.
He noted that he met with representatives of the Red Cross yesterday, and the proposal of the Azerbaijani side was officially transferred to him. "At the moment, there are certain issues related to the discussion, which I cannot disclose. Additional work is required to clarify certain information, and when it appears, the Armenian side will come up with a corresponding reaction," the minister emphasized.
Tonoyan himself did not rule out the possibility of the return of Askerov and Guliyev. "I strongly disagree with the term" exchange. "This is fundamentally the wrong approach, at least from the point of view of the Ministry of Defense. I'm working to bring our citizens home," the minister emphasized.
As for the possibilities of exchange, the Minister of Defense did not rule it out. "I can't exclude anything. But the decision will be made in Stepanakert," Tonoyan emphasized.
It should be noted that on September 19, David Tonoyan met with the Armenian representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross, during the meeting he was given the official offer of Azerbaijan to exchange two Armenian citizens for two Azerbaijani saboteurs.
Recall that at present two citizens of Armenia are in Azerbaijan. A resident of the Tavush region Karen Ghazaryan and a soldier Araik Ghazaryan, who got lost in August and ended up on Azerbaijani territory. In Azerbaijan, two Azerbaijanis Dilgam Askerov and Shahbaz Guliyev are serving their sentences, who were convicted of sabotage and murder based on national hatred.