International Refugee Day was memorized in Azerbaijan.

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Mətbuat xidmətinin məlumatı 19 JUNE, 2009

On June 18th the International Refugee Day was memorized in the Azerbaijan State Philharmonics after M.Magomayev. The deputies of Milli Mejlis, representatives of ministries, state committees and agencies, local and international humanitarian organizations and diplomatic corps participating in the event watched the exhibition made of refugees and internally displaced persons handworks on the foyer. The event started by demonstration of video appeal of UN high commissar on Refugees Antonio Quterresh. The deputy Prime Minister, the Chairman of the State Committee on Refugee and Internally Displaced Person’s Affairs and State Commission on International Humanitarian Assistance Mr.Ali Hasanov noted that as a result of occupation of Azerbaijani territory by Armenian armed forces there was formed 1 million of refugee and IDP population. Besides this there are refugees and people who intend to obtain “refugee” status in Azerbaijan who came from 3rd countries. Today the perfect legal base was established for regulating the provision of refugee’s rights and social security in line with the 1951 Convention of UN High Commission on Refugee’s affairs Protocol on 1967 and all of these were developed up to international standards. The deputy prime minister also expressed his opinion on some of UN Conventions, he mentioned that especially the ones related to refugees were outdated, and at the times when those conventions were signed there was no concept ion of “internally displaced person”. Mr. Ali Hasanov comprehensively spoke about the activities implemented during recent years by Azerbaijani government on resolving the multiple problems of refugees and internally displaced persons, the ways of resolving problems faced, identification of the status of population that were forced to escape the their native residences, and regulation of their rights. He emphasized that, in order to effectively use the oil revenue in this direction during recent years in line with all the social-technical infrastructure for refugees and internally displaced population the establishment of new settlements with the resources allocated by State Oil Fund, and other activities implemented provides the main ideal for the actions taken to improve of their life conditions or for their future return to their native places. The chairman of the committee also reminded the words of builder of modern Azerbaijan Heyddar Aliyev, “…the problems of people who were displaced from all the occupied rayons, the citizens who became to live in the conditions of refugee and internally displaced person is number one problem for us and for me personally” , he also remembered with gratitude the activities carried out by the President Ilham Aliyev in order to improve the housing conditions of our citizens who were displaced from their native motherlands. The speaker emphasized that the leader of our country always sensitively approached the problems of people who were displaced from their native motherland, and he listed the constant actions taken in this direction. The chairman of the Committee informed that the international humanitarian organizations conducted considerable activities in our country during last 15 years on provision of humanitarian assistance to refugees and internally displaced persons affected with the results of Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno Kharabakh conflict. A. Hasanov accenting with the gratitude the UN organization’s and other international organization’s protection of refugees and internally displaced persons especially during 1994-1995, when our country faced with difficulties, he emphasized that without this aid at that period there might happen humanitarian crises in Azerbaijan. Currently there are more than hundred international humanitarian and national non-governmental organizations assisting refugees and internally displaced persons in our country. Since 1993 there were implemented different projects by all the international humanitarian organizations in amount of 753 million US Dollars in total. Out of those 360 million dollars were spent by US non-governmental organizations. Azerbaijani government spent 2 billion manat for improvement of social and life conditions and for solving other problems of refugees and internally displaced persons. Ali Hasanov also informed about the priority issues standing in front of the government of the republic until the Nagorno Karabakh problem will be solved in line with the international norms and within the integrity of the Azerbaijani territory, until all the refugees and internally displaced persons will return to their native motherlands. According to him those issues are creating an employment, implementation of micro-credit infrastructure projects, education, health programs, legal assistances, development of civil society, rehabilitation programs and etc. There was also emphasized that the “The Great Return” program aiming provision of refugees and internally displaced persons with necessary conditions once they return to their native motherland is completely ready. Once the territory will be released from occupation the Azerbaijani government will start rehabilitation of the territory. The Representative of UN High Commission on the refugees and internally displaced persons affairs in Azerbaijan Arun Sala Ngarm informed about the refugees and internally displaced persons and their status in the world, and emphasized importance of care and attention for these people. He mentioned that, the international world differentiates “refugee” and “internally displaced person”. But this is absurd for those people. Because not depending on whether they did or did not cross the border they are all in need of attention and care. High Commissary is working for solving refugees problems. Of course there is significant role of government in this matter. The speaker appreciating initiatives of Azerbaijan and support of Azerbaijani government in identification of status of refugees and infernally displaced persons and solving their problems, said: “Only due to this support we are able to fulfill our mandate”. The event was concluded with interesting concert program performed by refugee and IDP children from Mehseti Turks, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghan, Iran, Chechen communities, and Nagorno Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. The International Refugee Day was hold under the “Real people, real needs” slogan.