PROBLEMS OF REFUGEES WERE DISCUSSED IN ROUND-TABLE MEETING
Anahit Gabrielian

Azat Artsakh Daily, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]
01 March 07

Recently the NKR organization of refugees has held a round-table
meeting in Stepanakert. Besides refugees, representatives of
government agencies had been invited, namely Serge Amirkhanian, head
of the Department for Migration, Refugees and Resettlement, head
of the political department of the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Margaret Karapetian, the deputy rector of Artsakh State University
Valery Javadian, as well all as reporters. The round-table was on
the problems of refugees displaced from Azerbaijan in 1988-1992, who
live in NKR. The problem of housing of refugees remains urgent. 33
families have been living for 18 years now at one of the dormitories
of Artsakh State Universities, which lacks conveniences. In Ajapniak,
a suburb of Stepanakert, 14 houses were built for refugees but these
families refuse to move into new houses, because there is no transport
and conveniences they say. On the eve the representative of the
organization of refugees and the head of the government agency which
deals with the problems of refugees had visited the new residential
area with a group of refugees, and the disadvantages of the new houses
frustrated the refugees who long for moving into new houses. Margaret
Karapetian, a senior official of the foreign ministry, says settling
people in bad conditions means violating their rights. The participants
heard with interest the representative of the foreign ministry that
the international organizations are interested in a peace settlement
of the issue and possible cooperation between NKR and the EU. Serge
Amirkhanian, the head of the NKR department for migration, refugees
and resettlement, said soon the conditions in the new residential
area will be improved, and another 13 houses will be built this year.

Besides, if there are families who own land in any other area, a
house will be built for them on that plot. He also said the refugees
who can afford to buy an apartment may get assistance. As for the
suburb of Ajapniak, Serge Amirkhanian says hopefully there will be
people who will wish to live in the new neighborhood. The chair of
the organization of refugees Sanasar Sarian said the organization
was set up to protect the refugees and their rights. At the same
time, he called on the refugees for active participation in the
political and economic life of the country. In cooperation with
the International Alert the organization of refugees of NKR makes
efforts to restore confidence between the conflict parties, which
is an important precondition for the settlement of the problem. The
participants endorsed the goal of the organization, at the same time
they pointed to the dual standards in solving their problem.

Namely, we are made to agree to the return of the Azerbaijani refugees,
meanwhile, the number of Armenian refugees and their status is never
discussed.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress