New settlement for 760 IDP families in Masazir, Absheron

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Mətbuat xidmətinin məlumatı 01 April, 2013

On April 1, 2013, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyevtook part at the opening ceremony of the new quarter built in the settlement of Masazir in the District of Apsheron for 760 internally displaced persons. Ali Hasanov, deputy prime minister, chairman of the State Committee for the Affairs of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, informed President Ilham Aliyev and declared that the improvement of the living conditions of refugees and internally displaced persons has always been in the focus of attention of the Azerbaijani government. Since 1993 the national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev has signed 81 decrees and instructions for this purpose, the Cabinet of Ministers has issued 307 resolutions, the parliament has passed 24 laws. Within 2003-2012 President Ilham Aliyev signed 49 decrees and instructions in connection with this sphere. In the said period two state programs and additions to them were approved and they were successfully executed. In 2001-2012 seventy-seven settlements, quarters of multi-story houses and individual houses were built for 31 000 families or over 140 000 refugees and internally displaced persons. In this period 134 schools, five music schools, 48 kindergartens, 51 medical institutions, two Olympic sports complexes, 37 post offices were built, thousands kilometres of water and gas pipes, power transmitting lines were laid. Besides, 1348 families or 6740 internally displaced persons have been moved to new flats built in the District of Apsheron on the account of the finances allocated by the Ministry of Finances in connection with the needs of the government. The construction of 352 houses has been completed for the Turks of Akhyska on the account of the investment expenses envisaged in the state budget and this project will be continued in 2013. Totally 5,4 billion US dollars were spent in 1993-2012 for the solution of the social problems of refugees and internally displaced persons. In 2012 the State Oil Fund allocated 300 million manats, which is 2,2 times more in comparison with 2011, 15 times more in comparison with 2003. It is intended to allocate 590 million manats for the solution of the social problems of refugees and internally displaced persons. Eight settlements and quarters with total useful space of 260 000 square meters with all necessary social-technical infrastructure objects will be built on the account of finances to be allocated by the State Oil Fund for 4000 families, or 20 000 internally displaced persons. The Azerbaijani President first got acquainted with the conditions created in the administrative building of the district administration of Zangilan. There was the bust of the national leader of Azerbaijan in the foyer of the three-story new building. Besides, there were photo-stands demonstrating the care and attention of the national leader Heydar Aliyev to the refugees and internally displaced persons, his meetings with them, as well as the panorama of Zangilan before the occupation. When the President got acquainted with the working rooms in the building, he was informed that there were all necessary conditions for the work there. The hall on the second floor with 50 seats has all conditions for holding various events. Then the Azerbaijani President got acquainted with the conditions created in the flat of Veli Guliyev, an internally displaced person from the district of Zangilan. The Azerbaijani President was informed that they are five in the family and the flat has three rooms. There are all conditions in the flat for the comfort of the family. At the tea table the Azerbaijani President talked to the host. President Ilham Aliyev said: “I congratulate you, it is a beautiful settlement and the flat is fine. After the occupation the internally displaced persons moved to hostels and tent camps. You lived there for many years in critical conditions. But now the state has great opportunities. We pursue a purposeful policy in this direction. Therefore, improvement of the social conditions of the internally displaced persons is a priority issue. The number of such settlements is great. Last year I took part at the opening ceremony of such a quarter in Mushfigabad. This year this beautiful quarter is being given at your disposal. Such events will take place in future, too, in Mingachevir as well. This process is going on; it is already possible to live here in comfort. But I say it again; this is a temporary place of residence. When the main problem finds its solution, when our lands are liberated, more beautiful houses than these ones will be built in Zangilan, in our other towns and districts.” Veli Guliyev (the host): “Thank you very much Mr. President, You have created such a nice condition for us. On behalf of all internally displaced persons, on behalf of my family and on my own behalf I thank you for the care for us. I wish you a long life and strong health. The presidential elections are approaching. We, all the internally displaced persons, shall support your candidacy. Up to the present we have lived in hard, critical conditions. Thank God, now beautiful houses are being built, you have presented to us beautiful rooms. Therefore, we thank you.” President Ilham Aliyev: “Everything finds its solution gradually, in its own turn. Of course, we have solved the problems of those who lived in the Finnish-type settlements. For long years they were living in hard, critical conditions. Now remains the problem of those who live in hostels, kindergartens, schools. We shall solve their problems, too. Now our country has resources for it, the most important is that there is a policy of the government for it. In the focus of attention of this policy is the Azerbaijani citizen. The priority is the solution of the problems of the most vulnerable layer of population from social point of view, that is, the problems of the internally displaced persons. This has been declared by our national leader many times, so do I; there cannot be a bigger priority than this. This settlement itself is an indicator in itself. At the same time it is a new kind of approach, that is, private houses were built in districts before; they are being built now, too. But you have already been living in urban conditions for twenty years. It was expedient to build here urban type houses. Both the houses and the settlement itself have been planned well. It is just a small town; about 3500 people may live here comfortably. There is a medical point, a school, a kindergarten. I see, there is a heating system, gas, electricity, water here. It is all natural. What about jobs, are you working? Veli Guliyev: “I am on pension now, but in the past I worked.” President Ilham Aliyev: “Do you get pensions?” Veli Guliyev: “Yes, I do.” President Ilham Aliyev: “What about the children?” Veli Guliyev: “They are working.” Ali Hasanov: “Mr. President, your errand was to choose a location in order not to allow the loss of jobs. That is, if one problem is solved, not to allow the birth of another problem. We are doing it as you have said. President Ilham Aliyev: “Now new roads are being laid, a round highway, then the highway of Baku-Sumgait will be reconstructed. Veli Guliyev: “The Baku-Sumgait highway passes just from here.” President Ilham Aliyev: “The road of Masazir also being re-built. Now the international organizations also note that Azerbaijan pays a special attention to the road-building, such approach and attention to the road issue is an example for all other countries, because the heads, representatives of the international organizations, the representatives of foreign countries regularly come to these settlements, get acquainted with them. Particularly the persons in charge of the issues concerning the internally displaced persons and refugees confirm unequivocally that this problem is being solved on Azerbaijan in the highest level. That is, such houses, such settlements are not built in any world country. The problem of refugees and internally displaced persons exists in many world countries. But the most successful solution of this problem is in Azerbaijan. You see, the internally displaced persons face great problem in the world, in the Middle East, in other places. Now hundreds of thousands of people have become internally displaced persons. The solution of this problem in such a well-thought manner in Azerbaijan is like a traffic sign for other countries in this sphere. Such problems must be solved like this. Here the problem is not limited with the construction of houses only. We approach these problems in a complex form; we take into account the allocated allowances, employment and others. If we take into account the number of population, the greatest number of refugees and internally displaced persons is in Azerbaijan. Here we have over one million refugees and internally displaced persons. This is really a big problem. But we are solving and shall solve this problem. I say it again that it is temporary. There is no doubt that we shall return to our lands. They are our historical, ancestral territories. The Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict will find its solution by all means. The correlation of forces between the two countries has changed in our favour. The development of historical processes shows that we shall restore our territorial integrity by all means. I do not doubt it at all. Pay attention to the indicators of Armenia and Azerbaijan. We are superior to them in all the spheres;we surpass them incomparably in the solution of economic, political and social problems, in the sphere of army building. But of course, we want to solve the conflict soon. But there are principles for it. The conflict must and shall be solved on the principles and norms of international law, within the frames of the territorial integrity of the country. No one can stop the progress of the history. The development of history, the development of events in the region shows that Armenia is deprived of means to compete with Azerbaijan. It has neither financial resources, nor economic, military and human resources for it. We take all necessary measures consistently for the solution of this conflict. At the same time, though it is temporary, still we create such beautiful conditions for our internally displaced persons. I congratulate you once more.” Veli Guliyev: “Thank you Mr. President, I wish our territories were liberated and we returned to Zangilan if God allowed.” President Ilham Aliyev: “Inshallah, thank you.” Veli Guliyev: “Thank you very much, we are grateful to you.” While getting acquainted with the new quarter the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was informed that the new complex was the 78th settlement in number built for the internally displaced persons. It has been constructed in conformity with the respective clauses of the Additions made to the State Program “On improving the living conditions of refugees and internally displaced persons and their employment” approved with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan of 2007. Seven hundred and sixty families, or 3420 internally displaced persons accommodated temporarily in the dormitory of students of Azerbaijan State Oil Academy will be moved to the new complex. Four hundred and sixty of the internally displaced persons are from the districts of Zangilan, 66 - from Aghdam,52 - from Jabrail, 40 - from Fuzuli, 142 - from Kalbajar, Lachin, Gubadli, Shusha, Khojavand, and Khojaly. He was also informed that the quarter occupies a territory of 12 hectares, there are 760 houses in it, 90 of them are a single room, 490 of them are a two-room, 170 are three-room, ten are four-room houses. There is a school for the study of 540 pupils, a kindergarten for 280 children, a club-community centre, a first-aid station, and others in the quarter. Construction works in the quarter began last April and completed in the May of the current year. Water, electricity and gas supply systems have been integrated to the communication systems of the District of Apsheron. The quarter has been built on the order of the Social Development Fund of the Internally Displaced Persons and 83,9 million manats have been spent on it. The Azerbaijani President got acquainted with the kindergarten “Shafag” built in the quarter for 280 children, too. He was informed that the two-story kindergarten has been duly equipped. Everything has been taken into account for the education and upbringing of the children. The music hall of the kindergarten had also all necessary conditions. Then President Ilham Aliyev came to School 33 of the District of Zangilan built for the study of 540 pupils. There were stands in the foyer of the school which demonstrated the care and attention of the national leader of Heydar Aliyev and President Ilham Aliyev to internally displaced persons, education, as well as the stands which demonstrated the main plan of the quarter. When he got acquainted with the school, he was informed that the school has all conditions for the education and has been provided with all necessary equipment. The attention and care of the Azerbaijani President are confirmations of the priority in the policy of Azerbaijan to education. This process is not limited with the capital only, but covers the regions, too. It serves the organization of a high quality education for the refugees and internally displaced persons, who have lost their homes and property. The contribution of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation to this program of activity on the state level is distinguished with its significance. President Ilham Aliyev got acquainted with the conditions created in the computer room and sports hall of the school, watched the exemplary performance of the sportsmen of Araks Club of Zangilan. The Azerbaijani President had his photo taken with the sportsmen. President Ilham Aliyev got acquainted with the exhibits of the Museum of History and Regional Studies of the District of Zangilan on the second floor of the school. After getting acquainted with the school the Azerbaijani President met the internally displaced persons and the builders. President Ilham Aliyev congratulated the participants of the ceremony and said: “I greet and congratulate you cordially. Today we are celebrating together the opening of a new residential quarter built for the internally displaced persons in the settlement of Masazir. It is a very good event. On the occasion of this happy event I congratulate you cordially once more. The residential quarter has been on the level of high standards, there are beautiful flats, a beautiful school, a kindergarten, a first-aid station here. The entire infrastructure has been created here. There is water, gas, energy supply, a heating system here, roads have been laid. That is, there are all conditions for living comfortably here. After getting acquainted with the school the Azerbaijani President met the internally displaced persons and the builders. The construction and transfer it at the disposal of internally displaced persons reflects the policy of the Azerbaijani government. The essence of our policy is that everything must be for the Azerbaijani citizen. Solution of the problems of the internally displaced persons has always been in the focus of attention. The first settlement was built at the initiative of the national leader Heydar Aliyev. Seventy-seven settlements have been built since. This is the 78th. Here we have many novelties. The buildings are high. I am sure that this policy will be continued in the forthcoming years successfully, too, because the policy of our national leader Heydar Aliyev is being continued in all the directions. It includes the improvement of the living conditions of the internally displaced persons and the problems of their employment. Respective instructions have been issued, programs have been adopted. The programs are very precise. But the most important is that these programs are being executed in time. Last year the living conditions of 20 thousands internally displaced persons were improved. This year the living conditions of at least another 20 thousand internally displaced persons will be improved. This work will be continued in the forthcoming years, too. The government continues its activity in this direction successfully. This year we intend to allocate about 600 million manats from different sources for the solution of the problems of the internally displaced persons. Over 300 million of these finances will be spent on the construction of new settlements. At the end of the last year we celebrated the opening of such an identical quarter in Mushfigabad. This year we are here. New settlements will be built in Mingachevir, Ganja, and in other towns next year. The Azerbaijani government is solving all its problems in this direction consistently. You know that in the first stage in the focus of attention were our compatriots who lived in most critical conditions, in tent camps. We could execute that program ahead of time and successfully. In 2007 the last tent camp was liquidated. Then it was declared that the problems of the internally displaced persons, who lived in Finnish-type settlements, in hostels, in kindergartens, in schools, will find their solution, very important work has been conducted in this direction, too. This year the Finnish-type settlements will be liquidated completely, we have already begun the process of moving the internally displaced persons to such settlements and quarters, which live in hostels. The citizens, who resided in the dormitories of Baku State University, in Azerbaijan State Oil Academy, including you, are already being moved to such beautiful quarters and settlements. I want to say once more that it is the manifestation of our state policy. A very strong social policy is being pursued in Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani citizen is in the centre of that policy. The internally displaced persons are the most vulnerable layer of population, they suffer most of all. After the Armenian occupation you lived in most critical conditions for many years. Some part of the internally displaced persons is still living in hard conditions. We are aware of it and try to solve these problems consistently, of course, within the frames of our resources and opportunities. At the beginning our financial resources were not great. Nevertheless, the first revenues of the State Oil Fund were directed for the solution of the problems of the internally displaced persons by the errand of our national leader Heydar Aliyev. In those days when we had not sufficient financial resources, the first big volume of our resources were directed just for the implementation of this purpose. Today, of course, our economic and financial resources have considerably grown. Therefore, the volume of the works has also grown. I repeat it again that only this year over 600 million manats will be spent for this purpose. It is a big amount. But it is also true that we still have internally displaced persons who live in grave conditions in Baku and in other towns and districts of the republic, they live in schools, in kindergartens, in the territories of the military units, in hostels. These problems will gradually find their solution. This year 20 000 internally displaced persons will be provided with flats and houses. About 3 500 internally displaced persons will live in this settlement. In fact, it is a town let. All the performed work shows once more that the problems of the internally displaced persons are in the focus of attention all the time. Up to this day 140 000 internally displaced persons have been moved to new houses and flats. It is a great thing, as if a big town has been built. We must also know that Azerbaijan exceeds all the countries because of the number of refugees and internally displaced persons. The population of Azerbaijan is growing. The number of refugees and internally displaced persons is also increasing. In 1992 their number was a million, but now it is a million and one hundred thousand, perhaps one million and two hundred thousand. Of course, it demands big finances. But I say it again that if we take into account that the social policy is being conducted in Azerbaijan very successfully, the greatest volume of finances are intended for the solution of the problems of the internally displaced persons. This policy will be continued in the forthcoming years, too. Perhaps in future the sum of allocations will be increased even more. But we must also know that the State Oil Company allocated the greatest sum in comparison with the previous years for this sphere, that is, 300 million manats. In the previous years the sum of allocations was 100 million, 200 million, but this year only the State Oil Fund allocated 300 million manats. At the same time, at the beginning of the year 14 million manats were allocated from the reserve fund of the President for the conduction of urgent activities. It is not excluded that finances will again be allocated this year from the reserve fund for the solution of urgent problems. Today the economy of Azerbaijan is developing speedily; therefore, we have no great financial problems. We are solving the problems facing the country. Of course, among those problems the improvement of the living conditions of the internally displaced persons is the most noteworthy problem. But we have other issues as well, for instance, the infrastructure projects, improvement, construction, reconstruction works. The volume of our budget is growing, but the expenses are also growing along with them, we must work more and hard in order to solve these problems successfully. Today I visited the flat of an internally displaced family, got acquainted with the conditions there, I said one thing there, and I want to repeat it here now, too: this is a place of temporary residence. After the liberation of our lands we shall build there houses and others more beautiful than those which at present we have here. We shall create much better conditions in Zangilan and in other districts subjected to occupation. The process of movement and accommodation of the internally displaced persons shows that we have necessary resources for it. If we have been able to accommodate 140 000 internally displaced persons, if we are able to provide 20 000 internally displaced persons with houses and flats, it means that after the liberation of the occupied territories we shall be able to restore all the towns, villages very soon, build houses, create living conditions. I am sure in it, I do not doubt it. The growing financial, economic might of Azerbaijan will allow us to do this all. But what concerns our main problem, that is, the solution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over NagornoKarabakh, the position of Azerbaijan is unequivocal. This position is based both on the historical justice and at the same time on the international law. The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan must be restored without any condition. NagornoKarabakh is an ancestral Azerbaijani territory. All the lands under occupation at present are our ancestral territories. Azerbaijan will restore its territorial integrity. There are many factors which give us reason to say it. Among them there are legal, political, historical and economic factors. All the international organizations recognize the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Not any country recognizes and will recognize NagornoKarabakh as an independent body. The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan must be restored. The resolutions of all the international organizations evidence it, that is, legal and political conditions are the basis for the solution of this conflict. At the same time, the correlation of forces has already changed in our favour. Today Azerbaijan is the most speedily developing country in the world. But there is a decline in Armenia each year. The number of our population is growing; it is already 9,3 million. The population of Armenia according to their own official statistics is decreasing about 100 000 each year. Therefore, when I say it, I am completely sure that Azerbaijan will restore its territorial integrity; I say it by taking the said factors into account. But at the same time, we all want the immediate solution of this conflict. We are for the urgent measures in order to put an end to the occupation. Unfortunately, the double standards, double approaches, which exist in the world, do not allow the solution of the problem. In the first stage of the conflict there was probably parity between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the economic and military spheres. But we have already been able to change this parity. This difference is very great. With the growth of this difference we receive new messages from the international organizations, from the countries engaged in the regulation of this conflict that it must be solved only peacefully, there is no other way for it. Armenia has occupied our territory by waging a war. The Security Council of the United Nation adopted four resolutions for the solution of the conflict then. None of them have been fulfilled yet. But how it can be that the Security Council adopts resolutions on other problems and they are fulfilled within a day, but when it concerns our problem, it is not solved within 20 years and we are asked to solve it only peacefully. Why is it so? It is so, because there are double standards. We have full right and the international law allow us restore our territorial integrity any time and by any means. There are provisions in the Charter of the United Nations that each country may use all means to defend itself. In the Helsinki Final Act the principle of the territorial integrity of the country is superior to any other principle, including the self-determination principle of nations. But injustice, double standards and the Armenian lobby and their protectors in the world, passivity of the mediators do not create necessary conditions for the solution of the conflict. Nevertheless, we shall continue our political and diplomatic efforts with great persistence and resolutely. We shall activate our efforts in the international organizations more. We shall take more serious steps in the sphere of army building. We shall use all our opportunities to keep Armenia in isolation in all economic and regional issues. I am sure that as a result of these complex measures and on the account of our growing economic might we shall soon restore our territorial integrity. I say it again and I do not doubt at all that we shall return to our native lands, to Zangilan, to Karabakh, to Shusha, the banner of Azerbaijan will fly over all our towns. I do not doubt it. Simply we all want to solve it as soon as possible, to return home soon and build beautiful houses, settlements, towns there. Dear friends, I congratulate you cordially on the occasion of this happy event once more. A building has also been built here for the district administration of Zangilan. Ali Hasanov told me that the District of Zangilan had not an administrative building before at all. A centre has been created here, though it is temporary. All the bodies of the district will be here. It will be possible to live in this quarter well. I congratulate you once more. Khudush Iskenderov, an internally displaced person from Zangilan, expressed his gratitude to the Azerbaijani President for his great care and attention and said: “I express my deep gratitude to you on behalf of the public of our district, of the elderly people, of all, personally on my own behalf. Thank you very much for creating such beautiful conditions for us. You have not only liquidated the tent camps in the recent ten years, but have managed to build 78 such settlements for the internally displaced persons , who were living in critical conditions. It is the result of your attention and care for the internally displaced persons. It is also the result of the creative development of the ideas of our national leader Heydar Aliyev. I remember that our national leader Heydar Aliyev saved us from a great misfortune. You are aware that we remained in the siege for two months, gave about 250 martyrs. If it had not been for Heydar Aliyev, perhaps not a single man from Zangilan would have survived. May he rest in peace. We are proud and glad that you develop this country founded and created by our national leader, so bravely with great might and devotion. We cordially approve your home and foreign policy, your wisdom. We wish you had a success in your work all the time. We wish you strong health. We are sure that we shall create such a condition in the lands of Zangilan under your guide, too. All the residents of Zangilan support you. The entire republic supports you. Thank you very much. May God be your guardian! May God save you for the Azerbaijani people! Mr. President, your visits to the families of refugees and internally displaced persons, celebration of your birthday with them, having your holidays with us inspire us greatly. What does it mean? It is simplicity and modesty, being reserved. It is the manifestation of the attention, care for the people. All the officials perhaps will derive lessons from it. Thank you very much. May God be your guardian! I am not a politician, but I want to tell something. Let the whole world know that not any force, neither here, nor abroad can break the will of the Azerbaijani people, which has undergone the test of the history. We support our President unequivocally today, unite around him and support him all the time. May God be your guardian and protect you!” Then there was taken a photo for memory.