Presence of prisoners in Baku does not fit the logic of peace – Naira Sultanyan

The presence of Armenian prisoners in Baku contradicts the logic of peace, said Naira Sultanyan, a representative of Armenian civil society within the “Bridge of Peace” initiative, speaking at the closing press conference of the initiative’s third conference in Tsaghkadzor.

“This is an opportunity, and it would be a pity not to take advantage of it,” she noted.

According to Sultanyan, participants sought to convey the Armenian agenda both to decision-makers in Azerbaijan and to the wider public there.

She emphasized that civil society should not be excluded from the peace process, adding that the Tsaghkadzor meeting allowed both sides to openly discuss the issues of concern to them.

“In our case, the primary issue is the prisoners. This group does not have the authority to directly influence processes, but it can shape public opinion. We have once again tried to explain to our Azerbaijani partners that the presence of prisoners in Baku does not fit into the logic of peace. They, in turn, raised their own concerns – for example, the issue of mine maps and missing persons from the 1990s. We do not yet have clear answers and are working to clarify some information,” she said.