It is inadmissible to make the issue of prisoners a bargaining chip. President Armen Sarkissian received the Vice President of the Italian Senate Paola Taverna

Today, President of the Republic Armen Sarkissian received the Vice President of the Italian Senate, Paola Taverna, who is in Armenia to carry out an observation mission as a member of the delegation of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

Referring to the early parliamentary elections on June 20, the interlocutors stressed the need to maintain internal political stability, expressing hope that the election results will be in the interest of the state's development.

President Sarkissian and Paola Taverna exchanged views on the post-war situation in our country and in the region, in particular, the humanitarian issues. President Sarkissian spoke about the necessity for the immediate return of Armenian prisoners of war and civilians detained by Azerbaijan, considering it inadmissible to make the issue of prisoners a bargaining chip.

President Sarkissian also expressed concern over the future of the Armenian historical and cultural heritage in the territories under Azerbaijan’s control. He stressed that the Armenian side expects their international partners’ support in the above-mentioned issues.

They also touched upon the continuous development of the Armenian-Italian bilateral relations. The Vice President of the Italian Senate expressed confidence that President Sarkissian’s planned state visit to Italy will give a new impetus to the cooperation between the two friendly countries.