Red Cross holds discussions with Azerbaijani and Armenian parties on taking hostage

The International Committee of the Red Cross visited the 15-year old citizen of Azerbaijan detained earlier in Nagorno-Karabakh, and handed the information received from him over to his family, the head of Public Relations Department of Azerbaijani representation of the ICRC Ilakha Huseynova told Trend Sept.10.

Huseynova noted that the ICRC is holding talks with the parties of the conflict, but they are not disclosed.

"His transfer depends on the agreement of the parties. If there is an agreement to return the detainee and the other party agrees to accept it and the detainee himself agrees to return, then the ICRC takes part in the return operation as a neutral mediator. Upon completion of the operation the committee speaks with a relevant application," Huseynova said.

The minor resident Mammadov Javid Samir oglu (born in 1999) was taken hostage by separatists near the village of Chayli in the Tartar district.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the U.S. are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented four U.N. Security Council resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.

/Trend/