YEREVAN, AUGUST 22, ARMENPRESS. The International Committee of the Red Cross does not participate in any negotiation on internees or exchange of bodies. The ICRC cannot also be involved in forwarding suggestions to the parties. "Armenpress" was told about this by the Head of the Communication Programs of the ICRC Armenian office Zara Amatuni, underlining that in accordance with its commitment and the International Humanitarian Law, the ICRC, as an independent mediator, performs its role in the repatriation process. "The ICRC has transmitted this position to the two sides. The Humanitarian Law requires that the bodies should be repatriated without any preconditions. And one side is obliged to do this, even if the other side does not do it, while the repatriation of the internees should not be dependent on the willingness of the repatriation of the other side. As always, the ICRC stands ready to fulfill its role as an independent mediator in the repatriation process," said Amatuni.

In response to the verifying question of "Armenpress" whether the Azerbaijani press reports that the ICRC had allegedly conveyed that the Armenian side did not agree with the proposal of the Azerbaijani side - to exchange the five members of an Armenian family held in Azerbaijani captivity and the body of Karen Petrosyan, who died in captivity, with the two saboteurs arrested after an unsuccessful attempt of diversion and the dead body of one of the saboteurs, correspond to the reality, Amatuni said. "In matters like this, especially when related to body handover, we act strictly in accordance with the provisions of the International Humanitarian Law."