Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Azerbaijan regarding the withdrawal of military forces from the Republic of Armenia, in particular from Syunik and Gegharkunik; and what further discussions they have had regarding releasing all Armenian military and civilians detained in Azerbaijan.

The UK Government is closely monitoring the situation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border following an increase in tensions in recent months. Through the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and bilateral engagement in Baku and Yerevan, UK officials continue to urge the Armenian and Azerbaijani authorities to settle all outstanding matters including the peaceful negotiation of their borders. The Minister for Europe and Americas continues to raise the importance of the return of all prisoners of war and missing persons with the Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers including in her most recent conversations on 14 June and 6 September respectively. We welcome the most recent return of prisoners of war on 19 October.