Relatives of Imprisoned Azerbaijanis Can Visit them in Karabakh, States Mayilyan 

On December 24, 2019, in an interview to Radio Liberty Yerevan, Masis Mayilyan, Foreign Minister of Nagorno Karabakh, said that the current authorities of Armenia are the only ones that have not spoken of handing over land. “I know that no document is currently on the table and no substantial talks are taking place,” said Mayilyan.

Instead, he referred to confidence-building activities, among which the mutual visits of journalists from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Karabakh and the relative military restraint on the frontline during the harvesting season. “This summer… the sides were more cautious, they did not disturb the farmers to collect their harvest, this is a fact,” stated Mayilyan.

According to the head of NK Foreign Affairs Ministry, under negotiations is the possibility for mutual visits by relatives of imprisoned persons across the border. Mayilyan stated that official Stepanakert is ready to make this possibility a reality.

“One of the new ideas that has not come to life yet is that the relatives of saboteurs kept in Artsakh and the relatives of Armenian hostages kept in Azerbaijan can visit them across the border. This idea is being discussed now, there is agreement at least from our side. If the relatives from the other side express a willingness, I think it will be possible to do this too.”

“Various similar steps need to be taken in order to create an environment [of confidence] and to minimize risks. In other words, it is also a fact the cease-fire order is predominantly maintained since Dushanbe [1994, the place where the ceasefire agreement was signed between Armenia and Republic of Nagorno Karabagh on the one side and Azerbaijan, on the other,ed.] and we have a more stabilized situation in the past year than in preceding years. All of this is going to enable an environment where we will hold more substantial talks, where the presence of Artsakh and the restoration of that format will bring more substantive importance,” said Masis Mayilyan, incumbent Foreign Minister and presidential candidate of NK.