Yerevan – Hraparak daily reports that tensions have arisen over recent references to Armenian captives in Azerbaijan as “Christian prisoners.”
According to the newspaper, on August 30, a phone conversation took place between Armenia’s Security Council Secretary, Armen Grigoryan, and Azerbaijani Presidential Advisor Hikmat Hajiyev, initiated by the Azerbaijani side. The discussion reportedly centered on Armenian captives held in Baku.
The call came in the wake of remarks made in Washington, where then-U.S. President Donald Trump, addressing Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, referred to “23 Christians” in Azerbaijan. Trump stated, “Are you talking about the 23 Christians? I’m going to ask him [apparently referring to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev] to do it. I think they’ll do it for me.”
Hraparak suggests that this prompted the Azerbaijani side to respond directly. According to the paper’s sources, Hajiyev told Grigoryan that Azerbaijan would not comply with Trump’s request to release all Armenian captives and expressed discontent over the use of the phrase “Christian prisoners.” He reportedly argued that such terminology harms the process of normalizing relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The paper claims that Yerevan, wary of escalating tensions, sought to reassure Baku during the exchange. It further reports that the Armenian government does not currently intend to press forcefully for the release of the prisoners.
Nevertheless, Prime Minister Pashinyan is said to hope that, ahead of next year’s parliamentary elections, he will manage to secure the return of at least some captives, presenting it as both a humanitarian achievement and a political success.