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Leo Platvoet, PACE reporter for captured and missing persons in South Caucasian countries, is planning a visit to the region in September, Mr Platvoet told Trend in an exclusive interview.

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« I visited the three capitals (Baku, Yerevan and Tiblisi) in June, where I spoke with politicians, state commissions, families of the missing, the International Red Cross and others. I now plan to make another visit in September to Abkhazia and Nagorno Karabakhե, said Mr Platvoet, adding that the precise route and schedule is not yet confirmed.
Answering the question whether the parties agreed to co-operate in searching for captured and missing persons in the region the reporter said: «Until now it seems that all the parties agree that it is necessary to co-operate in implementing the mechanism of the International Red Cross to search for the missing, to collect data with assistance from the families, to identify burial places and human remains, to offer assistance to the families etc. The families have a right to know what happened to their beloved ones and the authorities and politicians are obliged to fulfill this right and they are aware of thisե.
Commenting on PACE’s possible aid in learning the fate of nearly 5,000 Azerbaijanis missing in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict area, Mr Platvoet said «PACE can assist with what we are now doing: try to convince Armenia and Azerbaijan, both member states of the Council of Europe, to co-operate together and to emphasize on the important human aspect of this tragedy. The families can’t wait for a political solution of the N.K. conflict, although it would be fine if such a solution was reached within a short time, but this is still very uncertainե.
Mr Platvoet said he was going to complete preparation of the report regarding the missing and captured in South Caucasian region by late 2006 or early 2007.
  23.08.2006
Source: Trend
Author: A. Mammadova