Armenia, Azerbaijan agree on joint search for missing persons

PanARMENIAN.Net - A preliminary agreement has been reached between relevant Armenian and Azerbaijani bodies to conduct joint search operations to clarify the fate of individuals who went missing during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, according to National Security Service (NSS) Director Armen Abazyan during a parliamentary briefing.

He provided details about the outcomes of the latest meeting between the two countries’ commissions dealing with missing persons, reports Armenpress.

“Yes, the meeting took place—it was the second one. We discussed the fate of the missing and the possibilities for search operations. A preliminary agreement exists to ensure these efforts continue on an ongoing basis. I view the meeting positively,” said the NSS director.

Abazyan stressed that Armenia is the most interested party in achieving tangible results.

“I know everyone is waiting. We are more invested than anyone. Unfortunately, I can’t say whether there will be results tomorrow, in five days, a month, or a year. But I can assure you everything is being done in that direction,” Abazyan added.

When asked when search operations would begin in Azerbaijani territory, he replied, “I won’t publicly announce the timeline, but we do have a preliminary agreement to conduct joint search missions.”

On June 4, representatives of the Armenian and Azerbaijani commissions on missing persons met. Their previous meeting took place on February 7, 2025, at the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. The parties exchanged views on clarifying the fate of the missing and agreed to continue discussions through mutual consent.

According to official data, 993 Armenians have been missing since the early 1990s, and about 200 Armenian soldiers disappeared after the 2020 war. Since then, Armenia has returned the remains of 51 Azerbaijanis and the bones of 140 Azerbaijanis killed in the 1990s.