STEPANAKERT.- The issue of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) is one of the key problems in the process of the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict settlement. It should be noted that this problem occurred as a consequence of the destructive policy of Azerbaijan aimed at the forceful suppression of the realization of the right to self-determination by the Armenian population of Artsakh, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh Masis Mayilian noted in the interview to the “Azat Artsakh” republican newspaper.
"This is very important in view of both the responsibility for the current situation and the methodology of resolving the issue of refugees and displaced persons. It is obvious that, first, it is necessary to eliminate the origin of the conflict and only after this to start eliminating its consequences," Mayilian noted.
He stressed that the authorities of Artsakh and Azerbaijan have radically opposite approaches to the issue of refugees and displaced persons. While Baku considered the issue of refugees and IDPs mainly as a tool to get some political or propaganda dividends, Artsakh perceived the problem of refugees as humanitarian and tried to alleviate the situation of refugees and IDPs throughout the conflict.
"Unlike oil-rich Azerbaijan, Artsakh did not create ostentatious tent camps for refugees and did not politicize this issue. Artsakh provided this category of victims of the conflict with minimal living conditions under the roof. To date, our state, without any international support, continues to build houses for the refugees and IDPs who have returned to their former places of residence liberated from occupation," the minister noted.
Masis Mayilyan added that in particular, one of the priority issues in the program of the President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan for 2017-2020 is resolving the social problems of the Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan who have found refuge in Artsakh
"The issue of Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan is constantly in the focus of attention of the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh. Moreover, the protection of their rights and interests is enshrined in the annual programs of the Artsakh Republic Government as one of the important directions of the Republic’s foreign policy," Karabakh FM noted.
