On Monday Azerbaijan's capital hosted an event to mark the World Refugee Day. Co-organized by the State Committee for Refugees and IDPs, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and International Eurasia Press Fund, the event brought together MPs, officials, representatives of international financial organizations, NGOs and ambassadors.
Addressing the event, chairman of the State Committee for Refugees and IDPs, deputy Prime Minister Ali Hasanov said the the World Refugee Day has been marked since 2001 every year on June 20. He said more than one million refugees and IDPs live in Azerbaijan.
Hasanov highlighted the history of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, saying Armenians, aspiring to create the so-called Great Armenia, pursued ethnic cleansing policy against Azerbaijanis which was accompanied by unprecedented brutality.
Hasanov added Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan in 1988-1992 led to the occupation of 20 percent of the country's territories. He underlined the United Nations Security Council adopted four resolutions demanding unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. "But Armenia does not honor these resolutions."
Hasanov pointed out the Azerbaijani government had done everything to improve the living conditions of IDPs and to protect their rights. He expressed regret over lack of the international legal basis regulating the rights of IDPs.
UNHCR`s representative in Azerbaijan Arun Sala-Ngarm stressed the importance of the international community's assistance to refugees and IDPs.
Head of the International Eurasia Press Fund Umud Mirzayev said "marking the World Refugee Day, we demonstrate our solidarity with refugees and IDPs." He added the better way of solving the problem was return of the IDPs to their homes.

AzerTAc