Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

Azerbaijanis have been deported from their native lands and subjected to ethnic cleansing in the past 200 years, Deputy Prime Minister said.

Ali Hasanov, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the State Committee for Refugee and IDP affairs, and Chairman of the Republican Commission for International Humanitarian Assistance made the remarks at a meeting with journalists representing the Avenue Europe Association registered in Strasbourg and the affiliated reporters accredited by the Council of Europe.

He said it happened in the wake of the complicated political processes in the South Caucasus region.

Hasanov updated the journalists on the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute, its history and causes, as well as the plight of IDPs.

He said Armenia's aggression resulted in the occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijani lands.

Hasanov stressed that the UN Security Council had adopted four resolutions demanding the return of refugees and IDPs to their homelands.

"The decisions and resolutions adopted by the OSCE, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and other international organizations condemned Armenia`s aggressive policy," Hasanov said.

Unfortunately, Armenia continues to occupy Azerbaijan's lands and flout international resolutions and the OSCE Minsk Group-mediated peace talks have not produced any tangible results in the past 20 years, Hasanov noted.

He also said Armenia's economy is in a tight spot, adding, "Their people are leaving the country, and the country itself is left out of major regional projects implemented with Azerbaijan's participation and initiative ".

Hasanov said Baku is keen on a fair and peaceful resolution for the conflict.

"The government is going to great lengths to meet the needs of refugees and IDPs. The government has spent $5.4 billion to solve the social problems of the IDPs during the past 20 years. With the financial help of the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan, 180,000 refugees and IDPs have moved to new buildings. A humanitarian program for the internally displaced persons is being implemented too," Hasanov said.

He also noted that the poverty level has dropped from 49 percent to 5 percent in the country and from 75 percent to 15 percent among the IDPs.