BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7.
Missing persons cases are among the most painful and enduring
humanitarian issues, State Minister of Georgia for Reconciliation
and Civic Equality and Head of the Interagency Commission on the
Recovery and Handover of Remains of Missing Persons, Tea
Akhvlediani, said at the 4th international conference on the theme
“Strengthening trust and developing effective mechanisms to resolve
the issue of missing persons” held within the framework of the Baku
Dialogue on Missing Persons on Wednesday, Trend‘s correspondent
reports from the event.
She pointed out that the impact of the cases is deeply felt by
families who are forced to live, sometimes for decades, with
uncertainty regarding the fate of their loved ones.
“While various countries have their own historical experiences
regarding the issue of missing persons and have developed
mechanisms suited to different contexts, we are firmly united by a
shared humanitarian goal: to clarify the fate and whereabouts of
missing persons and, whenever possible, provide answers to their
long-waiting families.
Precisely this shared responsibility brings us together today to
strengthen sustained commitment and multilateral cooperation, as
well as to pool the expertise of states, international
organizations, academia, and civil society,” she noted.
The minister added that, alongside improving search and forensic
mechanisms, building trust and fostering close cooperation remain
key steps toward achieving the goal of searching for and accounting
for all missing persons, regardless of their ethnic background.
The 4th international conference on the theme “Strengthening
trust and developing effective mechanisms to resolve the issue of
missing persons”, organized by the State Commission on Prisoners of
War, Hostages and Missing Persons, is being held in Gulustan Palace
within the framework of the Baku Dialogue on Missing Persons.
The event is attended by former heads of state and government,
high-ranking representatives of international organizations and
foreign countries, heads of agencies dealing with missing persons,
experts, representatives of non-governmental organizations, and
human rights specialists, as well as ambassadors and military
attachés of foreign countries accredited in Azerbaijan and other
officials.
One of the main directions of this year’s discussions is the
formation and strengthening of trust between the parties.
The purpose of the conference is not to be satisfied with
discussions, but to contribute to the formation of practical and
sustainable mechanisms that strengthen trust and cooperation, serve
to ensure families’ right to know the truth, facilitate information
exchange, and expand the application of modern forensic, DNA and
technological capabilities. The event will continue until October
10.
