TODAY.AZ / Politics

Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan in focus of Baku Humanitarian Forum

30 September 2016 [16:44] - TODAY.AZ

By Azernews


By Rashid Shirinov

The problem of refugees and IDPs is the main focus of attention at a round table on “The Importance of Preserving the Human Capital in Conditions of Mass Migration as a Basis for Sustainable Development” held as part of the 5th Baku International Humanitarian Forum.

Opening the event, Director of the Azerbaijan International Development Agency (AIDA) Ashraf Shikhaliyev highlighted the importance of the Forum.

Due to Armenian aggression in the early 1990s, Azerbaijan faced a challenge of about a million refugees and IDPs, Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan, Chairman of the State Committee for Refugees and IDPs Ali Hasanov said while addressing the session of the 5th Baku International Humanitarian Forum on September 30.

A total of 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory is still under occupation of Armenia, Hasanov reminded.

The chairman stressed that Armenia constantly violates the ceasefire regime and the Geneva Convention, carries out the resettlement of refugees from Syria in the occupied Azerbaijani lands, and cultivates drug in these areas.

The official further stressed that the Azerbaijani government takes all possible measures to ensure the necessary living conditions for refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) and for their integration into society.

“Refugees and internally displaced persons receive compensation, have benefits, state agencies and companies pay special attention to their recruitment, the children of IDPs and refugees are exempt from tuition fees at universities,” Hasanov noted.

Residential complexes, schools, kindergartens, hospitals are build for them, Hasanov added.

Hasanov noted that the refugee problem is topical not only for Azerbaijan – as a result of wars and conflicts, the number of refugees and IDPs in the world grows every year.

During the session, a documentary film about the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan in the early 1990s was shown. The film tells about the tragedy in Khojaly, where 613 civilians were killed during genocide committed by Armenians. The film stressed that the current leadership of Armenia was directly involved in committing the Khojaly Genocide against the Azerbaijani people. There was also stated that currently Azerbaijan has 1.2 million refugees.

Later, Deputy Economy Minister of Azerbaijan Sevinj Hasanova informed about the works done to ensure welfare of refugees, noting that Azerbaijan can share its experience in solving the problems of refugees.

“The problem of refugees and migrants concerns the whole world. Numerous conferences and forums on the subject are regularly held in different countries. Azerbaijan has a long and successful experience in dealing with the refugee problem, the government continuously improves its policy on the issue of IDPs and refugees,” Hasanova noted.

She stressed that the refugees and IDPs living in Azerbaijan receive necessary food and shelter; moreover, the country provides them with free access to education, health care, it satisfies their cultural needs. The refugees in Azerbaijan receive special social loans.

“Other countries can benefit from the 25-year experience of Azerbaijan in this sphere and we are ready to share this experience,” Hasanova concluded.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

Armenia still controls fifth part of Azerbaijan's territory and rejects implementing four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.

URL: http://www.today.az/news/politics/154698.html

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