ArmInfo. On the eve of the state visit to Baku, the Union of Armenians of Russia appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a request to raise the issue of Armenians held in Azerbaijan, including former leaders of the NKR, during negotiations. In his address, the head of the SAR Ara Abrahamyan, in particular, says:
"Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich!
As is known, the busy agenda of your state visit to Azerbaijan includes pressing issues of regional and international politics, including the Azerbaijani-Armenian settlement. The fate of more than one hundred thousand forcibly displaced Armenians, the Armenian cultural, historical and spiritual-religious heritage of Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as the fate of several dozen captured Armenians, including representatives of the NKR leadership, who have been illegally held by the Azerbaijani authorities for almost a year, cannot but worry not only Armenians around the world, but also everyone who cares about the principles of goodness and justice, the humanistic ideals for which Russia has always been famous and which were embodied by the leading figures of Russian culture and literature and leading political and state leaders of Russia.
On behalf of millions of citizens of the Russian Federation of Armenian nationality, I appeal to you, as our President, with a request to pay possible attention to these issues during your state visit to Azerbaijan, while being confident that these issues are in the field of your constant attention. Your authority and the nature of your personal relations with the leader of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, distinguished by a high degree of trust, instill in us hope for achieving progress on these issues, especially those concerning the fate of Ruben Vardanyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, Bako Sahakyan, Arkady Ghukasyan, David Babayan, David Ishkhanyan, David Manukyan and Levon Mnatsakanyan and others held in Baku."
