Germany to start new project on Azeri refugees

Ali Hasanov, Azerbaijan's deputy prime minister and chairman of the State Committeeon Refugees and IDPs, has met the German ambassador to Azerbaijan, Azernews reported.

Hasanov and Heidrun Tempel discussed the dire consequences ofArmenia's military aggression, the condition of refugees and internallydisplaced persons (IDPs), the work done to improve their socialconditions, and other issues at the December 4 meeting.

They exchanged views on the history and reasons of theNagorno-Karabakh conflict, and the Azerbaijani government's policy forsolving the problem.

The delay in conflict resolution because of Armenia'snon-constructive position, the loyal attitude of OSCE Minsk Group andsome other international organizations for tackling the problem, andsome other issues were also of the agenda.

Hasanov said Azerbaijani government is trying to solve all theproblems of refugees and IDPs and is adequately coping with theseproblems.

However, he said, international and local non-governmentalorganizations in the country also need to continue their activities inthis regard.

Hasanov said about 30 international and 70 local non-governmentalorganizations, in which the German government also represented,currently operate in the country, adding that the Azerbaijani governmenthas created all the necessary conditions for the activity of suchorganizations.

Noting that relations between Azerbaijan and Germany were built on asolid foundation, Hasanov expressed confidence that the relations willdevelop successfully in the future.

He thanked the German government for its assistance in solving theproblems of refugees and IDPs through international humanitarianorganizations.

In turn, Tempel said the main objective of the meeting, which wasalso attended by the representative of the German Society forInternational Cooperation, was to assist Azerbaijan in solving theproblem of refugees and IDPs through the very society.

Tempel said they are going to implement a new project in connection with the problems of refugees and IDPs in the near future.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia madeterritorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since a lengthy war in the early1990s that displaced over one million Azerbaijanis, Armenian armedforces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationallyrecognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacentregions.