Norway to boost efforts for settling Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: envoy
By Sara Rajabova
Norway will increase efforts for a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Norwegian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Erling Shonsberg said on February 11.
Shonsberg made the remarks at a meeting with Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister as well as Chairman of the State Committee for Affairs of Refugees and IDPs, Ali Hasanov.
Touching upon the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Hasanov said 20 percent of the country's territory was occupied and over one million people became refugees and displaced.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since a lengthy war in the early 1990s that displaced over one million Azerbaijanis, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions.
Hasanov noted that Azerbaijan's influence in the global community is growing as a result of purposeful policy of President Ilham Aliyev, but the problem hasn't been resolved because of Armenia unconstructive position.
He also spoke about the work carried out by the Azerbaijani President and international organizations to improve the living conditions of refugees and IDPs.
Some 82 modern villages have been built. The living condition for 180,000 people has been improved. Also, humanitarian projects have been carried out for them.
The Azerbaijani government continues taking measures to resolve social problems of the refugees and IDPs. Every year, a large amount of funds is allocated for this purpose from the state budget, the State Oil Fund, the state energy firm SOCAR, and other sources.
Hasanov stressed, "Norwegian Refugee Council" and "Norwegian humanitarian enterprise", functioning in Azerbaijan, have carried out a number of projects in various fields, and the Azerbaijani government has created all conditions for their free activities.
In turn, Shonsberg said Norway has supported Azerbaijan's fair position at international events in most cases.
He noted that relations between the two states developed rapidly after the restoration of independence of Azerbaijan.
Shonsberg said his country will increase the efforts for a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and expressed confidence that relations between the two states will continue to develop.
The sides noted at the meeting that bilateral relations are at a high level and Azerbaijan is interested in a further development of relations.