NEW DELHI: Armenia and Azerbaijan has agreed to exchange prisoners of war to work towards reaching a consensus for a peace treaty, ending the tumultuous conflict which has spanned decades.In a joint statement on Thursday, the two countries said that they “share the view that there is a historical chance to achieve a long-awaited peace.” The statement further added that the situation presents them with a chance to “normalise relations and to reach the peace treaty based on respect for the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
The Azerbaijani forces had waged a striking military campaign in the separatist Nagarno-Karabakh region, which has been the point of contention between the two nations for the past three decades. The campaign ended the rule of ethnic Armenians in the territory, causing 1,20,000 residents to flee the region.
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The statement said that Azerbaijan would free 32 PoWs, while Armenia would free two Azerbaijani army personnel who had been taken prisoner. The agreements were reached amid discussions with Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan and the administration of Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev.
The two countries also said they “will continue their discussions regarding the implementation of more confidence-building measures, effective in the near future, and call on the international community to support their efforts”.
European Council President Charles Michel highlighted the development as a “major breakthrough in Armenia-Azerbaijan relations” while the US welcomed the statement and the prisoner exchange.
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller highlighted in his statement that the commitment to release PoWs was a significant step in finalising a peace agreement. “This commitment represents an important confidence-building measure as the sides work to finalise a peace agreement and normalise relations,” Miller said.
As part of the deal, Armenia also agreed to lift its objections to Azerbaijan hosting next year’s international conference on climate change.