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<p>During visits to Armenia and Azerbaijan in February, the Minister for Europe and
Americas urged both parties to work with the International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC) to expedite the return of all prisoners of war. The Minister reiterated the
importance of the return of all prisoners of war in her most recent conversations
with the Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers. Additionally, we continue to
urge both Governments to take steps to de-escalate border tensions, undertake independent
investigations into all allegations arising from last year's conflict and settle all
outstanding matters solely through peaceful negotiation. Although the UK Government
has no plans to ask the ICRC to undertake investigations into these allegations, we
continue to take careful note of their work in the region and to coordinate with international
partners on efforts to reduce tensions and support regional stability.</p>
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