Under the leadership of deputy prime minister, chairman of State Committee on the affairs of refugees and internally displaced persons, Ali Hasanov the delegation made an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by the invitation of the same country on October 22-24.

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Mətbuat xidmətinin məlumatı 29 October, 2007

On the first day of the visit Ali Hasanov met the management of Saudi Development Fund. During the visit the leader of Azerbaijan delegation spoke about the importance of Saudi Development Fund in the cooperation between two countries, as well as the participation of the same fund in the projects implemented in our country was estimated by Azerbaijan country highly. He also informed Saudi Party about the reasons of the conflicts between Azerbaijan and Upper Garabakh, present situation of the conflict. A. Hasanov put into the front party’s attention that, the fair position of Azerbaijan is supported by all authoritative organizations over the World and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev’s resolute position on this matter. Deputy prime minister, who spoke about the works done by the Republic of Azerbaijan in the direction of sorrowful position of about one million refugees and internally displaced persons expelled from their native lands as a result of the conflict, spoke about the construction of temporary new settlements for refugees and IDPs and proved that with visual documents. A. Hasanov mentioned that it is advisable for Saudi Development Fund to participate in the projects will be implemented for refugees and IDPs in the future and for special mission of the Fund to visit Azerbaijan, also stated that Azerbaijan government was ready to present definite projects in humanitarian spheres. He also declared that, the project was implemented by the leadership of Saudi Development Fund successfully. Saudi side mentioned that having observed the events had happened in Azerbaijan closely they were ready to cooperate with our country. It was also mentioned that the special mission of the fund will be sent to our country to get familiarized with the projects for improving living condition of refugees and IDPs and obtaining the possibility of taking place in the projects in accordance with A. Hasanov’s suggestion and it was also stressed that the fund was searching the possibility of implementing projects in the direction of other spheres and humanitarian sphere in Azerbaijan. At the end of meeting both parties declared that they would do their best to improve mutual relations. A.Hasanov met Secretary General of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth Doctor Saleh al-Wehaibi. Having spoken about the activity of the assembly Al-Wehaibi briefly mentioned that 50 offices of the organization functioned in the World and expressed his gratitude to the Republic of Azerbaijan for the condition made for rational and transparent activity of Baku office of the organization. In his turn, Ali Hasanov said that, International Youths Organization has been functioning in Azerbaijan since 1995 and that, normal businesslike relations between Azerbaijan government and assembly for that period. A. Hasanov informed his interlocutors on the current situation of the conflict between Armenia-Azerbaijan, Upper Garabakh and expressed his gratitude for exploring the problems in Azerbaijan and for their activities in the direction of solution of the problems. Ultimately, Deputy prime minister invited Dr. Saleh al-Wehaibi to Azerbaijan. Besides, he suggested holding high-level international conference in Baku with the participation of leading humanitarian organizations of Arabian Gulf countries to get familiarized with the condition of refuges and IDPs closely and to get that problem in the center of world community attention. The situation of refugees and internally displaced persons in our country, successive measures held in the direction of improving their living condition thanks to Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev’ care were mentioned in both meetings. Materials, photo albums and video films were presented to the opposite side, which were prepared in the Arabic language as per the works done by state and international humanitarian organizations in that direction. A. Hasanov met President Islamic Development Bank Ahmad Muhammad Ali in Jidda city the following day. He expressed his gratitude to Ahmad Muhammad Ali as he visited refugees and IDPs settled down on the tent camps and the bank participated in the projects considered for refugees and IDPs on behalf of Azerbaijan Government, refugees and internally displaced persons. A. Hasanov, who informed his interlocutor about the measures held in the direction of improving the living conditions for refugees and internally displaced persons, also mentioned that, construction of 5 secondary schools, 5 medical points, including potable water supply of the settlement constructed for internally displaced persons came to an end in tent camps in Bilasuvar region. The president of the bank expressed his gratitude as the project implemented transparently for a short time. He also emphasized and stressed about the banks attention on the measures held in the direction of improving the living condition for refugees and internally displaced persons and solving their problems under the direct attention of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev that, the visit of Azerbaijan delegation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had a great importance from the viewpoint of putting the problem into attention of world community. Ahmad Muhammad Ali, considering it advisable to hold successive measures in this direction in the future, spoke about rapidly development of economy in Azerbaijan, as well as mentioned that, assessment of international humanitarian organizations would be needed every time, event after internally displaced persons would return to their native lands. He declared that a loan would be allocated to Azerbaijan, as the implementation of the agreement as per internally displaced persons had been carried out successfully in advance. A. Hasanov also met Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) IKmalladdin Ihsanoghlu the same day. Having spoken about the present condition of refugees and internally displaced persons and successive measures held in the direction of improving their condition at the meeting, A. Hasanov expressed his gratitude to OIC for supporting the right position of Azerbaijan in solution of Armenia – Azerbaijan, Upper Garabakh conflict, taking part in the projects considered for refugees and internally displaced persons. I.Ihsanoghlu spoke about the position of our country improved in the international arena as a result of Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev’s political activity and it’s always necessary to prove in international organizations that Azerbaijan was right. Secretary General mentioned that, the cooperation would be carried on in the direction of supporting refugees and internally displaced persons and declared that the problems of refugees and internally displaced persons in our country would be discussed in the following meeting of the organization. The following meeting was held in the international “Islami-Nijat” humanitarian organization. A. Hasanov met Secretary General of aforesaid organization, Doctor Adnan bin Khalil Pasha there. Dr. Adnan bin Khalil Pasha assessed highly the visit of Azerbaijan delegation to this country by the invitation of kingdom government, expressed his gratitude to Azerbaijani side regarding the events held for independent, transparent activity having no obstacle of the office of the organization in Azerbaijan. The chief of Azerbaijan delegation thanked international “Islami-Nijat” organization for its humanitarian assistance for last 14 years, especially during humanitarian crisis in Azerbaijan and also stressed that the IDPs had been moved to new settlements temporarily that had been patronized (protected) by the same organization in two tent camps for 13 years. A. Hasanov, who mentioned that, new settlements with all socio-technical infrastructures had been constructed at the expense of State Oil Fund, all the same, he brought it to opposite side’s notice that assistance of international humanitarian organization was still necessary. Deputy prime minister, chairman of Republic Commission under the struggle against narcotics and illegal circulation (turnover) of Narcotic means Ali Hasanov also met commander of Border Services of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, general-lieutenant Talal bin Mohsin al-Angavi. Talal bin Mohsin al-Angavi mentioned that, there was religious, racial discrimination between our countries historically, the cooperation between two countries developed in rising route after Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev’s official visit to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in March, 2005, that his country had no political, economic relations with Armenia, defended the justice voice of Azerbaijan in all international measures (events), that the governance of Saudi Arabia always interested in the problem of Azerbaijan closely. He also stressed that the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan should be restored, citizens driven out of their ancestral land should move to their native land. It was also intended that the cooperation of appropriate state bodies was important regarding the issues on the problems refugees in the World, on the struggle against illegal migration and illegal circulation of narcotics and to organize joint international measures. A.Hasanov informed his interlocutor about cultivating narcotic means in occupied territories of Azerbaijan and the fact of using the incomes, (profits) got as a result of selling them, to arm Armenia armed forces. Talal ibn Mohsun al-Angavi mentioned that, Saudi Arabic territory has been intended to be use as a transit of narcotic means since 2003 and Border Forces used new technical means to prevent that. He also mentioned that he was ready to cooperate with Azerbaijani side on discussed issues and stated that such visits had distinct evidences on strengthening cooperation between our countries. Materials written in Arabic, photo albums, video films, including “Ethnic cleansing carried out in Armenia and information of about 1 million refugees and IDPs as a result of occupation of 20 percent Azerbaijan territory by Armenia armed forces” book, information on refugees, internally displaced persons, refuge seekers in Azerbaijan, as well as the book named “Homesickness and inextinguishable hopes” etc. were presented to bring Armenia-Azerbaijan, Upper Garabakh conflicts to international community’s notice in all meetings.