Vienna, March 30, AZERTAC

Austria’s largest media provider - the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) has aired an extensive reportage highlighting the return of Azerbaijanis to their homeland following the liberation of territories.

AZERTAC reports that ORF’s film crew visited the liberated Aghdam and Fuzuli districts of Azerbaijan to record on film the destroyed settlements and ruins caused as a result of Armenian vandalism, as well as familiarize themselves with the ongoing restoration and reconstruction works, the demining process, and interview a number of people there.

Prepared by ORF correspondent Carola Schneider, the reportage highlighted the situation emerged during the Patriotic War and post-war period in 2020, as well as the ongoing works in those areas.

The correspondent reported that following the liberation of its territories from the Armenian occupation, Azerbaijan conducted swift restoration and reconstruction works in its lands, and that people who were forced to flee from the Armenian occupation 30 years ago are already being relocated to their homeland.

The Austrian group filming in Aghdam introduced the audience with completely destroyed and looted city, describing it as a "ghost city", saying that Armenia after occupation of these territories turned it into a buffer zone, however, three years ago, Azerbaijan wrote a new page in the history by liberating Aghdam and other territories from occupation.

The Austrian correspondent mentioned that despite the swift restoration and construction efforts, contamination of the area with mines still remains as a major obstacle. In his interview to ORF, Samir Poladov, Deputy Chairman of Board of Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) described the demining as an arduous and complex process, saying that because of inaccurate maps of mines handed by Armenia, it is not known exactly in which areas mines were planted, which in turn delays the demining process. Poladov also highlighted the ongoing efforts in this regard.

The Austrian correspondents also visited the city of Fuzuli. The reportage underlined that the life has returned to these areas, with more than two thousand residents being settled in the first newly built residential buildings. A former internally displaced family, who welcomed the Austrian correspondents in their apartment, shared their joy of returning home with them.

The reportage emphasized that the return of thousands of forcibly displaced residents from Fuzuli will be ensured within a few years, and therefore, the large-scale construction efforts are currently being carried out in the city.

The correspondent also highlighted the current state of the peace negotiations with Armenia, quoting spokesperson for Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Aykhan Hajizada as saying: “Azerbaijan has restored its territorial integrity and considers the conflict with Armenia to be over. However, there are still obstacles to a final peace treaty. Armenia still keeps eight villages of Azerbaijan under occupation, and those villages must be liberated.”

In conclusion, the Austrian correspondent pointed out that the peace talks are proceeding slowly, while many questions are still unsettled. The reportage also underlined that Azerbaijan, which emerged victorious from the war, insists on signing a peace treaty based on the terms that it put forward as a victorious side.

Elgun Niftali

Special correspondent