On December 17, Rovshan Rzayev, Chairman of the State Committee for Refugees and IDPs, met with Larry Luxner, an Israeli journalist visiting our country.

The guest was informed in detail about the refugee and IDP problems faced by more than 1 million 200 thousands of our compatriots who had been displaced from their native lands as a result of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the work being done for addressing those problems. It was stated that aggressive Armenia had been keeping their permanent residences under occupation for many years, and destroyed the material and moral heritage of our people in those territories.

It was noted that four resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council 26-27 years ago on immediate and unconditional withdrawal of occupying forces from the territory of Azerbaijan still remain on paper. Although many international organizations support the fair position of Azerbaijan, unfortunately, the world community has not yet taken any effective action against the occupying state. Proposals and initiatives of OSCE Minsk Group on peaceful settlement of the conflict remain ineffective as a result of non-constructiveness of the Armenian government.

Chairman of the State Committee noted that influential journalists and mass media play an important role in conveying the voice of truth of Azerbaijan to the world and forming an objective international public opinion on the causes of the conflict.                                               

It was stated that the state policy defined by the President Ilham Aliyev in the field of work with refugees and IDPs in the country is mainly aimed at strengthening social protection of people from this category, improving their housing and living conditions and increasing employment. It was mentioned that 106 settlements had been built for refugees and IDPs so far, and more than 300 thousands of IDPs had been provided with new houses and apartments.                  

It was underlined that the First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva pays special attention to addressing the problems of refugees and IDPs. It was stated that the private sector also supports the state policy in this field, and built new residential complexes.

Chairman of the State Committee answered the questions of the Israeli journalist.

Larry Luxner thanked for the warm welcome. Mentioning his previous visit to Azerbaijan, the guest spoke about how Baku was rapidly changing and modernizing. He also highly appreciated the state policy pursued regarding refugees and IDPs.      

Later, the Israeli journalist Larry Luxner got acquainted with conditions in the dormitory at Yasamal district and residential complex and school in Masazir settlement, Absheron district where the IDPs were temporarily settled, and made interviews with them.