ArmInfo. The Armenian side is ready to intensify actions to speed up the exchange of prisoners of war, hostages and other detainees, as well as the bodies of those killed and clarify the fate of the missing persons. RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this on December 2 at the CSTO summit.
In his words, the last two months for the Armenian people have become a period of confrontation with the armed aggression on the part of Azerbaijan. Baku, backed by Ankara and terrorist mercenaries from the Middle East, unleashed a war against the Armenian people. With the mediation of the Russian Federation, it was possible to stop the hostilities and agree on measures to de-escalate the situation. For more than three weeks after the military operations ended, Russian peacekeepers have been deployed in the conflict zone, but today there are still a number of urgent tasks. Firstly, it is the question of the exchange of prisoners of war, hostages and other detainees, as well as the bodies of those killed, and the clarification of the fate of the missing people. These are questions that, according to the head of the Armenian government, cannot be delayed. At the same time, as Nikol Pashinyan noted, it is necessary to exclude violence towards prisoners of war and detainees, and humiliation of their dignity.
In addition, as the Armenian Prime Minister stressed, it is necessary to create conditions for the return of Artsakh people to their homes, to restore normal life in Nagorno-Karabakh. People need to be sure they are safe and can continue to live on their land.
Nikol Pashinyan recalled that several tens of thousands of Artsakh residents have already returned to their homes, efforts are being made to provide them with the necessary assistance and support. In addition, it is necessary to take measures to protect the cultural and religious heritage of the Armenian people located in the territories occupied by the Azerbaijani troops. Finally, according to the head of the Armenian government, it is important to ensure the safe functioning of transport communications, it is necessary to exclude any provocations and create normal conditions for the functioning of the infrastructures necessary for the life of the people of Karabakh. "All the measures I have named, including the unblocking of all transport links in the region, are necessary to lay a solid foundation for lasting peace in the region," Nikol Pashinyan said.
He also said that the Russian peacekeeping contingent deployed along the line of contact in Nagorno- Karabakh and along the Lachin corridor, which provides communication between Artsakh and Armenia, as of today is the guarantor of the preservation of peace and security in the region. In this context, Nikol Pashinyan pointed to the exceptional role of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who throughout the 44 days of the war was in constant contact with the parties to the conflict, discussing with them measures to end hostilities.