UNHCR: ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN AND GEORGIA COMPREHEND THE IMPORTANCE OF REFUGEE PROBLEM

Regnum, Russia
Aug. 21, 2006

"Armenia can count for cooperation with the UN in questions of
returning refugees and IDPs," UN High Commissioner for Refugees
Antonio Guterres has announced at a news conference in Yerevan on
outcomes of his work visit.

According to him, at present moment the UN has been carrying out a
program of refugee census. "Despite the fact that establishing trust
among people who do not trust each other is a rather difficult task,
returning of refugees to their home places will be a positive result
of the OSCE Minsk Group on Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement,"
he notes. According to Guterres, "the UN has been excellently
cooperating with Armenia’s government in this issue." "Governments
of three countries – Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia – comprehend
the whole importance of the refugee problem," he declared.

He noted that there are two ways in settling the refugee problem:
either returning them legally to their home places or granting them
citizenship of states in the territory of which they are. "Armenia
has chosen the second way," he said. The UNHCR also informed that UN
assistance in this issue is equally distributed between the states.

"The assistance is rendered to both Armenian and Azerbaijani refugees,"
he noted. "When the process of peaceful settlement is underway, rights
of both parties should be respected. People are important to us, and
not their legal status of a refugee," the UNHCR stressed. Antonio
Guterres also welcomed the initiative by the Armenian government
in helping the citizens who left Lebanon and Israel because of the
situation in Middle East.

In his turn, Armenia’s Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan informed
the Armenian government carried out "enormous work," particularly,
a national program for refugees integration into society was
implemented. He also informed that during Antonio Guterres’ visit to
Armenia the whole range of refugee problems was discussed.

On August 16-22, Antonio Guterres has visited Armenia, Azerbaijan
and Georgia.