AzerTag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
March 25 2004
OMBUDSMAN MEETS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF SWISS FEDERAL ORGANIZATION
FOR REFUGEES
[March 25, 2004, 17:23:37]
Commissioner on Human Rights in Azerbaijan Republic (ombudsman)
Elmira Suleymanova has met with representatives of the Swiss Federal
Organization for Refugees Kristina Ptaifer Romano and Hans Peter
Blair.
During the conversation, Elmira Suleymanova stated that considerable
moral and property damage has been caused to the people by the
Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan. She drew the guests’
attention to the pressing needs of those who had lost their
relatives, property, and now live under hard conditions in refugee
camps. According to the Ombudsman, 51,1 % of this category of people
are able-bodied, and 34,6 % – under the age of 15. She stressed the
necessity of humanitarian aid to these people from international
donors, pointed out concern the President of the country and the
Government showed about the displaced people, and told of the measure
aimed at solving their problems. Dwelling on the business relations
between the State Committee on Refugees and Internally Displaced
Persons and representatives of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
in Azerbaijan including conducting joint seminars-trainings, Mrs.
Suleymanova expressed hope for fruitful cooperation with the Swiss
Federal Organization for Refugees. The Commissioner on Human Rights
answered questions from the guests, and updated them on the work
carried out to ensure international protection for Chechen, Afghan,
Iraqi and other foreign asylum seekers, who had arrived in Azerbaijan
escaping from the extreme conditions in their homelands, as well as
restoration of refugee women’s and their children’s rights.
Kristina Ptaifer and Hans Peter Blair expressed satisfaction with the
meeting and promised to render assistance to solve the problems of
refugees and IDPs in Azerbaijan.