KARABAKH SETTLEMENT NECESSARY FOR REGIONAL PEACE, HUMAN RIGHTS

Interfax News Agency
June 19 2008
Russia

A fair settlement of the Karabakh problem will promote regional peace
and human rights in Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev told delegates
to the Baku international conference of ombudsmen.

The rights of a rather large number of Azeris were trampled upon in
the Armenian occupation of Azeri land, he said.

Unfortunately, no results have been achieved in the long years of
the negotiations. We adhere to the settlement of this problem in a
fair way and on the basis of international laws. This is our demand,
and we hope that the international public will pay more attention to
the issue and ensure the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and the
return of our compatriots who were subjected to ethnic cleansing,
to their hometowns, he said.

Azerbaijan has had a human rights ombudsman for only six years, but
the country has signed several international human rights conventions
and agreements and successfully cooperates with relevant international
organizations, Aliyev said.

He stressed the importance of the development of democracy and human
rights in Azerbaijan and asked international organizations to apply
common human rights criteria to his country. Azerbaijan will seek to
comply with fundamental criteria of a developed democracy, he added.

Azerbaijan is cooperating with international fiscal institutions in
the reduction of poverty, Aliyev said. The number of poor Azeris has
dropped from 49% to 16% in the past four years. I am positive we can
handle this problem and thus make a large contribution to human rights,
he said.

The biggest human rights problem is refugees, Aliyev said. As soon
as our lands become free, we will invest a lot and ensure normal
conditions for the returning residents, he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress