Return of Armenian prisoners from Baku appears impossible now -  Armenian NA speaker 

ArmInfo. The statements of former Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan should be perceived  as a provocation. This was stated to journalists on March 4 by the Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Alen Simonyan.

Earlier, Oskanyan made a video address in which he called on the  Armenian authorities to cease all contacts with the Azerbaijani  authorities until all Armenian prisoners of war are returned.

"Well, if we stop discussing them, what, will Azerbaijan return them,  or will it be afraid of this step on the part of Armenia? Personally,  I think that this is a provocative statement," the speaker said,  adding that if Oskanyan's recommendations are followed, the situation  will become more complicated and lead to its escalation. Simonyan  recalled that previously there were over 152 Armenian prisoners of  war in Azerbaijani captivity, and today this number has been reduced  to a confirmed 23, 11 of whom are representatives of the highest  military-political leadership of Nagorno-Karabakh. "We returned these  people to their homeland through negotiations with various  mediators," Simonyan emphasized.

He added that work is underway to return the remaining group of  prisoners. The speaker believes that if visible work is carried out  on this issue, the prisoners may not return at all. "I do not  understand why our opponents do not talk about the return of more  than 100 people, and constantly raise the issue of the remaining 23.  In this case, references to the clause of the trilateral statement of  the leaders of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan of November 9, 2020,  according to which all prisoners are subject to return, are  inappropriate, since not a single clause of this document has been  implemented," the NA Chairman said, pointing out that the issue of  returning Armenian prisoners of war is constantly raised during  numerous meetings and conversations with international partners. The  speaker noted that even during a personal meeting with his  Azerbaijani counterpart, this issue was on the negotiating table. In  addition, Simonyan continued, he has a meeting scheduled for today  with one of the relatives of the prisoner, and such meetings have  become regular. "And in general, given the sensitivity of the issue,  let's not return to this issue.  Experience shows that the process  continues, and this topic is a priority for us," the NC Chairman  emphasized.

He noted that the country's authorities are interested in the return  of all prisoners of war without exception.  "The claims that all  persons undergoing formal legal proceedings in Baku are undesirable  for the Armenian authorities are false. They are all our compatriots,  we have done and are doing everything to return them to their  homeland. Everyone simply demands urgent action against the backdrop  of the trial, but at this stage, given who is conducting the trial  and the goals, it will be very difficult to return all compatriots.  We just need to wait until the trial is completed. I don't think Baku  will leave it halfway," the RA NA Chairman emphasized.

He also criticized the actions of the opposition, which, according to  the speaker, is using the situation with prisoners of war to provoke  a hybrid war. "Who said that the draft peace treaty with Azerbaijan  contains a clause concerning prisoners of war? Azerbaijan is using  and will continue to use this topic for political bargaining. 

The claims that Baku will release all our compatriots on the eve of  the COP-19 summit also turned out to be false. The country's  authorities are actively working in this direction, as evidenced by  yesterday's statement by the UN International Court. Do you really  think that all these steps are being taken for nothing? They more  than eloquently speak of the work being carried out, invisible to  society," the head of the country's highest legislative body  emphasized.