Pashinyan: Azerbaijan is trying to make the issue of returning  prisoners a subject of bargaining

ArmInfo. Azerbaijan is trying to make the issue of returning prisoners a subject of bargaining, despite the direct contradiction of this policy to the Trilateral Statement of 9  November. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this in an  interview with Channel One.

 He recalled that the statement clearly  indicates the need to return not only prisoners of war, but also  prisoners of war, hostages and other persons, and that all sorts of  speculations around this issue are not appropriate. There are clear  commitments to fulfill. And the commitments noted in this statement  equally and share among themselves the three parties, and we are  doing everything possible so that, as soon as possible, this issue  would find its solution.

Answering the question why Armenia continues to adhere to the points  of the Statement, while Azerbaijan violates it, in connection with  which Armenia may suspend its obligations, Pashinyan noted that  everything must be done so that the processes do not reach a dead  end. And the Armenian side will continue to work on this agenda as  long as it sees opportunities to solve the problem and come to  concrete results.

He said that on this issue he is in constant contact with the  President of Russia, and there are contacts between the  representatives of Armenia and Azerbaijan and there is hope and  confidence that this task will be solved. It is another matter in  what time frame it will be possible to do this, because every minute  is important here, and not every day is very difficult and important  for our captured brothers, their families, difficult and important  both for the government and for him personally. He noted that 69  prisoners have been returned to date and this work will be continued  until the last person.