Baku:Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, Fariz Rzayev, has urged Armenia to provide comprehensive information regarding missing Azerbaijanis. Speaking at the Fourth International Conference within the framework of the Baku Dialogue on Missing Persons, Rzayev emphasized the importance of records related to captivity, transfers, deaths, witness statements, and burial sites in determining the fate of the missing individuals.

According to Azeri-Press news agency, Rzayev highlighted the potential significance of even incomplete information when analyzed with other evidence. He called on Armenia to share any data that could clarify the fates and locations of missing Azerbaijanis, including details about burial sites.

Azerbaijan is collaborating with the International Commission on Missing Persons to implement an Integrated Data Management System and an Online Inquiry Center. Rzayev explained that this system aims to consolidate existing information into a single database, allowing authorized institutions to manage, compare, and confidentially submit data on missing persons and burial sites. The effectiveness of this system relies on the quality of information entered and the willingness of all parties to cooperate.

He further mentioned Article 9 of the Agreement on Peace and the Establishment of Interstate Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which focuses on addressing the issue of missing or forcibly disappeared persons during the conflict. The agreement, initialed in Washington, mandates the exchange of all available information either directly or through international organizations.

Rzayev stressed that this provision establishes a foundation for humanitarian cooperation, and regular contacts between Azerbaijani and Armenian state institutions should lead to searches, identifications, and answers for families. He concluded that resolving issues related to missing persons could bolster trust in the broader normalization process.