OCCUPATION OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH IMPEDES CONDUCTING CENSUS OF ITS POPULATION: AZERBAIJAN’S STATE STATISTICS COMMITTEE
Trend News Agency
Nov 11 2008
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, Baku, 11 November/ Trend News, corr I. Alizade/ State
Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan can not conduct 2009 census of
population in the Nagorno-Karabakh region occupied by Armenia.
"The census in Nagorno-Karabakh was not conducted in 1999 as
well. Therefore 1989 census is used at present according to which about
120,000 Azerbaijani citizens of Armenian origin live in Karabakh,"
Arif Valiyev, acting chairman of the State Statistics Committee said
while addressing the parliament on 11 November.
The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began in
1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan
lost the Nagorno-Karabakh, except of Shusha and Khojali, in December
1991. In 1992-93, Armenian Armed Forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and
Nagorno-Karabakh’s seven surrounding regions. In 1994, Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time the active
hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia,
France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful, but fruitless
negotiations.
According to 1999 census, about 700 Armenians live in Azerbaijan
excluding Nagorno-Karabakh.
The preparatory work for the 2009 census of population will be
completed soon, he said.
"The Statistics Committee is working out organizational
plan. Structures in each region and polling stations will be set up
in accordance with the plan. Nearly 30,000 workers will be involved
in the census," Valiyev said.
He also spoke of problems that emerged during preparations for the
census. "The major problem that emerged during the preparations
is city services. The absence of names of streets and numbering of
buildings hinders to work out diagrammatic plans," Valiyev added.
The number of questions which will be asked during census next year
will increase from 17 to 35. These questions mainly will be about
way of life and employment of citizens, Valiyev said.
The accuracy of census date makes up 97%-98% in Azerbaijan.
According to the State Statistics Committee, Azerbaijan has a
population of 8.8mln.