Azerbaijan says ready to discuss release of Armenian hostageJune 18, 2016 - 11:19 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Chief of Azerbaijan’s State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing People Ismayil Akhundov said Baku is ready to start negotiations on the release of two Azeri citizen imprisoned in Karabakh and one Armenian citizen convicted in Azerbaijan “in the shortest period.” In late December, a court in Nagorno Karabakh sentenced one Azerbaijani man to life imprisonment and another to 22 years in prison on charges stemming from the murder of an Armenian teenager which led to their high-profile arrests in July. In a verdict condemned by Azerbaijan’s government, Dilgam Askerov and Shahbaz Quliyev were convicted of illegal border crossing and arms possession, espionage and kidnapping. Askerov, who was jailed for life, was also found guilty of killing Smbat Tsakanian, a 17-year-old Armenian resident of the Kelbajar district sandwiched between Armenia and Karabakh. A former Armenian serviceman, Arsen Baghdasaryan who crossed the border in December, 2014, was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan has regularly attempted to swap Askerov and Quliyev with an Armenian hostage (either Baghdasaryan, or another captive Hakob Injighulyan, or even the body of a civilian), but Karabakh’s chief prosecutor has on multiple occasions ruled out Askerov and Quliyev’s exchange. Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Ucom General Director joins High-Tech Development Panel Discussion The discussion was titled "The Role of International Corporations and Investors as Catalysts for Development of High-Tech Ecosystem." Dozens detained as antigovernment protest continue in Armenia At least 63 people demanding Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s resignation were detained on May 14 as they blocked streets in Yerevan. Family of Ilham Aliyev’s security chief owns vast property in UK As head of security for Azerbaijan’s president, Eyyubov is closely trusted by one of the world’s most authoritarian leaders. Armenian army holding strategic command, staff drills Live firing will be carried out using automatic control systems and modern equipment. |