Former Minister: The right of Artsakh people to self-determination is  "on trial" in Baku 

ArmInfo. The issue of Armenian prisoners of war in Baku should be a constant topic in the negotiation process between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The head of the parliamentary opposition faction "Armenia", former Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia, Seyran Ohanyan, holds a similar point of view.

In a conversation with journalists, the MP noted that the country's  authorities should carry out appropriate work in this direction,  addressing the issue both during bilateral discussions and at  international venues.  "Even if the work is done behind closed doors,  it should not impede public activities. The authorities must clearly  show their concern for prisoners of war by maintaining constant  contact with them," the politician said.

He added that efforts should  be intensified to file claims with  international courts for crimes committed by Azerbaijan, especially  in light of the trilateral statement made by the leaders of Armenia,  Azerbaijan and Russia on November 9, 2020. One of the points of  statement concerns the return of all prisoners, and promise that Baku  has not fulfilled.  Ohanyan pointed out that continuously conceding  to Azerbaijan will not lead to any positive outcomes for Armenia. He  added that the negotiation process must be guided by a strategic and  targeted policy that prioritizes protecting Armenia's national  interests, including addressing the issue of the military-political  leadership of Artsakh.