Peter Maurer: I hope for a political solution to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict

Baku, May 6, AZERTAC The ICRC president Peter Maurer expressed hope for an early political solution to the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict at a meeting with Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov in Geneva. Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister said Azerbaijan has urged the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to increase the efforts for releasing its citizens Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev taken hostage by Armenians. In turn, Peter Maurer said the ICRC is regularly visiting Shahbaz Guliyev and Dilgam Asgarov and will continue its humanitarian activities in this regard in accordance with its mandate. Khalafov told the ICRC president that Armenia has been shelling Azerbaijan’s densely populated residential areas along the contact line since 2 April 2016, which resulted in the death of numerous military and civilian casualties and damage to public and private property. The sides also noted the ICRC’s intermediary role in the handing over on 10 April 2016 of the bodies of those killed in the latest fighting at the contact line. Moreover, the sides exchanged their views on the current state and future prospects of the existing relations between Azerbaijan and the ICRC.