BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 30. Minister of Foreign
Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov met with
Director General of the International Commission on Missing Persons
(ICMP) Kathryne Bomberger, visiting Azerbaijan, on June 30.


This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.


During the meeting, the parties discussed issues of cooperation
between Azerbaijan and the CMP, measures being taken in the
post-conflict period to determine the fate of missing persons, as
well as the importance of international cooperation in this
area.


Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, noting that the fate of some 4,000
Azerbaijanis remains unknown to this day as a result of Armenia’s
military aggression, emphasized that the issue of missing persons
is one of Azerbaijan’s top humanitarian priorities. In this
context, it was noted that Armenia’s full disclosure of available
information regarding the locations of mass graves, burial details,
and mine maps is of great importance for determining the fate of
the missing persons.


The parties emphasized that the provision on missing persons in
the draft Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Inter-State
Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia is of particular
importance, and noted the importance of practical steps to build
confidence in this regard and address the humanitarian
consequences.


At the meeting, the productive partnership established between
the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Missing Persons, and
Hostages and the International Commission on Missing Persons was
highly commended, and it was emphasized that this cooperation is
crucial for determining the fate of missing persons, enhancing
identification capabilities, and applying international best
practices.


Minister Jeyhun Bayramov noted that the Azerbaijani side, in
keeping with its humanitarian obligations following the 44-day
Second Karabakh War, conducted large-scale search operations
despite the challenging security situation and the threat of
landmines, and handed over to the other side the remains of more
than 2,000 Armenian servicemen whose bodies had been recovered.
This step was hailed as a striking example of Azerbaijan’s respect
for international humanitarian law and its constructive approach to
humanitarian issues.


The meeting included a presentation on the mass graves
discovered in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories, exhumation and
identification efforts, as well as measures taken by the relevant
state agencies.


The parties also exchanged views on regional issues of mutual
interest and on the ICMP’s activities in other countries.