ISSUE OF ARMENIAN REFUGEES FROM AZERBAIJAN STILL UNSETTLED
DeFacto Agency
June 20 2008
Armenia
YEREVAN, 20.06.08. DE FACTO. On June 20 the International Refugee Day
is celebrated in the whole world. As a result of Azeri authorities’
discriminatory policy, pogroms of Armenian population of Soumgait,
Baku and Azerbaijan’s other settlements, hundreds of thousands of
Armenians became refugees. A part of them found shelter in Armenia and
Nagorno-Karabakh. Despite the fact that the RA and NKR authorities
spare no effort to resolve refugees’ social-economic and housing
problems, the issue of refugees from Azerbaijan still remains urgent
both for Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
On the occasion of the Refugee Day, the Network of Civil Society
"Refugees and International Law" circulated a statement. DE FACTO IA
quotes the statement’s full text: "June 20 is the International Refugee
Day. It testifies to the fact that the problem has international
sounding, while civilized humanity deeply realizes the necessity
of lending a helping hand to exiles, who left their homes against
their will. 20 years ago, as a result of joint actions undertaken by
Azerbaijani authorities and criminal elements, over half a million
of Azerbaijan’s Armenians, who were subject to various persecutions,
sustained numerous human losses and lost their property, had to
leave Azerbaijan and become refugees. About 400, 000 refugees found
shelter on the territory of Republic of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic. Sincere compassion and practical help of local Armenians
and authorities helped our compatriots from Azerbaijan, who suffered
ultimate privations and passed through the crucible of life, to start
a new life. The international organizations also rendered certain
material assistance to refugees, who settled in Armenia. Meanwhile
refugees, who found shelter in the NKR, have been ignored by the
U. N. and other international structures.
Today we have to state again that the problem of Armenian refugees
from Azerbaijan has not been settled yet. They must receive full
compensation from Republic of Azerbaijan for material and moral loss
they suffered, including reserving property right in respect of the
liberated territories controlled by the NKR. We also consider that
discrimination being displayed by the corresponding structures of
the U. N. in respect of the refugees, who found shelter in the NKR,
contradicts with the international law’s standards.
We urge the authorities of Republic of Armenia to inscribe an item
of Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan on the agenda of the talks
proceeding within the OSCE Minsk group frames".