Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
April 9, 2004
COE SECRETARY GENERAL MEETS IDPS
[April 09, 2004, 14:02:31]
Council of Europe Secretary General Walter Schwimmer met April 8 with
internally displaced people settled at unfinished building of
maternity hospital in Baku Narimanov district.
Deputy Prime Minister of the Azerbaijan Republic, Chairman of the
State Committee for Refugees and IDPs Ali Hasanov let the guest know
that over 220 families ousted from Jabrail, Zangilan, Gubadli,
Hojali, Kalbajar, and Lachin regions had been living here for several
years, and told of the purposeful measures the Government had been
taking for this period to improve social conditions of the people
living in encampments.
Mr. Walter Schwimmer visited `apartments’ of several refugee
families, who told him of the Government’s efforts to improve their
living conditions, and demanded the civilized Europe to put an end to
the policy of double standards. `Let the Armenia supporters and
protectors know that Azerbaijan is strengthening day by day, and
people’s patience is not unlimited. We are ready to release our lands
any way,’ they said.
Council of Europe Secretary General said he realized well the
people’s home-sickness and their hard living conditions, and promised
the problem would be settled soon. `People should live in peace. This
is the principle of the Council of Europe,’ Mr. Schwimmer said.
Present at the meeting was permanent representative of the Azerbaijan
Republic to the Council of Europe, Ambassador Agshin Mehdiyev.