Today.Az » Politics » Baku considers amnesty for Garabagh militants
22 September 2023 [15:14] - Today.Az
Azerbaijan envisages amnesty for Garabagh Armenian fighters who surrendered their weapons, although there were some Garabagh military units that said they would continue resistance," Hikmet Hajiyev, assistant to the Azerbaijani president - head of the foreign policy department of the presidential administration - told foreign media, Azernews reports. "Even with regard to ex-military and combatants, if they can be so categorized, and even for them we envisage amnesty or also hint at amnesty," Hajiyev said. The rights of Garabagh Armenians will be respected as part of their reintegration into Azerbaijan, he said, adding that they have requested humanitarian support as well as oil and petrol supplies. Three shipments of humanitarian aid will be delivered to the region on 22 September, he said. "We are now seeing that some individual army groups and officers have made public statements that they will not accept our conditions and will continue to resist," he said. We are also seeing some minor groups withdrawing into the forest," he said. "But we don't see that as the biggest problem and the biggest security problem. Of course, it will cause some problems and difficulties, but not on such a large scale. Military personnel who voluntarily laid down their arms are free to go. Presidential Aide Hikmet Hajiyev spoke about his meeting with representatives of the ICRC Baku office and other international partners: At the meeting, we stated that all necessary conditions are and will be created for the delivery of medicines, food, and other ICRC cargoes along the Lachin-Khankendi and Aghdam-Khankendi roads. The Azerbaijani side is ready to provide medical assistance to the wounded military men of Armenian nationality or help them through ICRC mediation. Upon request, the movement of ICRC medical vehicles to collect wounded military personnel is supported. We are also ready to provide ambulances and medical assistance for this purpose. Medical vehicles can also come from Armenia for medical evacuation to Armenia.
Together with Russian peacekeepers, work is underway to collect the bodies of combatants left on the battlefield. We support the deployment of additional personnel from the ICRC's Geneva office. We also support the deployment of additional staff from the Baku office to the Khankendi office. - On the basis of voluntary and individual choice, we provide security for the movement of civilians in their own vehicles along the Khankendi-Lachin road. Among those who wish to do so are mostly family members of military personnel. - Serviceman who have voluntarily laid down their arms are free, as we have openly declared. - Within the framework of the concept of civil-military cooperation, Azerbaijani servicemen and civilian personnel on the ground are providing assistance to the civilian population and will continue to do so."
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