Member of the European Parliament, Marina Kaljurand, thanked Georgia for facilitating the release of 15 Armenian detainees by Azerbaijan.

“I welcome the release by Azerbaijan of 15 Armenian detainees, as well as the handing over by Armenia of maps of mines in the Agdam region. Thank you to Georgia for facilitating these important steps. I encourage both sides to continue on this path,” MEP Kaljurand tweeted.

I welcome yesterday’s release by Azerbaijan of 15 Armenian detainees, as well as the handing over by Armenia of maps of mines in the Agdam region. Thank you to Georgia for facilitating these important steps. I encourage both sides to continue on this path. https://t.co/6pGlRjHPSS

— Marina Kaljurand MEP (@MarinaKaljurand) June 13, 2021

With the active participation of Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, and engagement from US Acting Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Reeker, the Azerbaijani side has released 15 Armenian citizens, who were previously captured during the conflict, but now have returned to their families via Georgia’s territory, the government’s press service reported on Saturday.

“Through the Georgian Prime Minister’s active involvement, the Armenian side also handed over to the Azerbaijani side important materials concerning territories with concealed mines.

The Prime Minister of Georgia personally maintained constant communication with the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and acting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Notably, through the efforts of Georgia’s strategic partner, the United States of America, and the active participation of Georgia itself in this process, an extraordinary step has been taken toward bettering the security architecture of the South Caucasus. This fact will give tremendous impetus to diffusing the tensions between Georgia’s immediate neighbours,” the statement reads.

Proud of the role??played in close coordination w/our strategic partner ?? & Acting Assistant Sec Reeker to facilitate ??’s release of 15??citizens detained during the conflict. ??providing??info about mined territories is an important step toward improved security in our region. https://t.co/ncizGfTO90

— Irakli Garibashvili (@GharibashviliGe) June 12, 2021