PACE calls for Azeri-Armenian co-op on POWs

"Collaboration between relevant bodies of the two countries is pivotal to solve the problem, in particular, in terms of simplifying the exchange of information," Leo Platvoet told a news conference at the CE Information Office in Baku upon completion of his visit to the region.

The rapporteur said both countries had expressed readiness to forge contacts to address the problems faced by these persons, and called for stepping up efforts in this area. He said the key objective was to arrange cooperation between the two countries.

"The fact that the sides are making such statements is evidence that the idea of establishing a joint institution may soon come into being," he said, adding that this option has already been applied by the Red Cross in the Balkans.

Platvoet said the entity could include representatives of Azerbaijan, Armenia and both communities of Nagorno Karabakh. He added, however, that he had no discussions on the issue during his visit to the two countries.

Platvoet said the goal of the visit was to prepare a report on captives and missing persons in the South Caucasus based on his findings. The document will mostly cover humanitarian issues and have no bearing on politics, he stressed. "It will not touch on political aspects, as this could compromise the work being done."

The rapporteur said the report will be finalized in fall and further submitted to PACE's winter session for consideration.

"We have met with the family members of missing persons to study their problems. These mainly concerned collection of information. We also found out that their relatives are facing social problems. All these developments will be reflected in the report," Platvoet said.

The rapporteur met with members of the Azeri delegation at PACE. Several proposals he made during the discussions were not accepted by the MPs. He suggested that the Azerbaijani side collaborate with the institutions and NGOs in Nagorno Karabakh and send the parents of the missing persons to Armenia to assist in searching for them, which did not go down well with the Azerbaijani representatives.

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