Armenia, Azerbaijan announce deal to exchange POWs as step towards peace
- 7 December, 06:59
Armenia and Azerbaijan have announced a joint agreement on the exchange of prisoners in a step towards a peace treaty.
The prisoner exchange deal that will oversee the release of 32 Armenian and two Azerbaijani prisoners was announced on Thursday. The two countries said in a joint statement that “an agreement has been reached on taking tangible steps towards building confidence between two countries.”
“The Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan share the view that there is a historical chance to achieve a long-awaited peace in the region. Two countries reconfirm their intention to normalize relations and to reach the peace treaty on the basis of respect for the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity,” according to a press release posted on the Armenian Prime Minister’s website.
As a sign of goodwill, the deal stipulates that Armenia will support Azerbaijan’s bid to host the 2029 Climate Summit by withdrawing its own candidacy.
European Council President Charles Michel praised the agreement as a major breakthrough, saying on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he particularly welcomes the deal to release detainees and make an "unprecedented opening in political dialogue." The EU official also urged Baku and Yerevan to finalize the peace agreement.
The prisoner swap has also been welcomed by the US as the State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Washington “will continue to strongly support efforts to reach a durable and dignified peace”.
