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PACE rapporteur John Greenway: â€œMost part of the refugees and displaced persons in Europe falls to Azerbaijanâ€™s shareâ€

08 May 2009 09:12 (UTC +04:00)

Victoria Dementyeva â€“ APA. â€œ11 European countries have a problem of displaced persons. The problem canâ€™t be left out of attention. We need to create new political impulse for solution of IDP problemâ€, said PACE rapporteur for migration, refugees and population John Greenway at the press conference in Baku, APA reports. The rapporteur said there were 2.8 million refugees in Europe and most part of them fell to Azerbaijanâ€™s share. â€œJust for that reason I decided to visit Azerbaijan to prepare report on the rights of displaced persons. Four main aspects should be addressed regarding the problems of refugees and IDP. The first aspect is relating to the life condition of refugees. The government of Azerbaijan has done huge work in this field and it needs to develop this work. The government understands this and as distinct from other countries Azerbaijan has good economic conditions to solve the refugee problemsâ€.

The second aspect is that the displaced persons have to return home despite the conditions created for them. â€œThe conditions created for the displaced persons donâ€™t prevent their return to their homeland in Nagorny Karabakh. According to the humanitarian law, they have a right to return to their homeland. The international community is working to create new impulse for their return. The third aspect is related to the large preparations for the returning of displaced persons to their permanent home. This process and restoration of infrastructure in their homeland demand large-scale investments. The government understands that this work needs in huge resources. Demining of territories is also important. The international community should assist the solution of this problemâ€.

John Greenway said the fourth main aspect was related to the refugees from other countries, who took refuge in Azerbaijan. â€œRecently Azerbaijan became a country with great flow of migrants. The people from Chechnya, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan take refuge in Azerbaijan. Most of them have no refugee status and therefore they face with difficulties to receive the humanitarian assistanceâ€.
John Greenway said he discussed this issue with Chief of the State Migration Service Arzu Rahimov.