The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Igor Popov of Russia, Stephane Visconti of France, and Andrew Schofer of the United States) have called on Nagorno-Karabakh parties to fully and expeditiously complete the exchange process for all prisoners of war.

Azerbaijan is still holding up to 300 Armenian prisoners of war, civilians and soldiers alike, while the Armenian side has returned all the POWs and detained persons, including two saboteurs who killed an Armenian minor and a serviceman a decade ago and were serving jail terms in Karabakh.

The co-chairs said in a fresh statement they welcome Azerbaijan's release of Armenian "detainees" Robert Vardanyan, Samvel Shukhyan, and Seyran Tamrazyan and called on "both parties" to fully and expeditiously complete the exchange process for all prisoners, detainees, and remains, and to respect their obligations to ensure the humane treatment of detainees.

"Recalling their 13 April statement, the Co-Chairs urge the sides to exchange all data necessary to conduct effective demining of conflict regions and to lift restrictions on access to Nagorno-Karabakh, including for representatives of international humanitarian organizations," the statement reads.

"The Co-Chairs encourage the sides to take concrete steps to create an atmosphere of mutual trust conducive to long-lasting peace by addressing the remaining areas of concern outlined in the 13 April statement of the Co-Chairs. This includes resuming high-level political dialogue under the auspices of the Co-Chairs at the earliest opportunity."