POLITICS
CHAIRMAN OF STATE COMMITTEE ON REFUGEES AND IDPS GIVES PRESS CONFERENCE
President Ilham Aliyev signed an executive order to make supplements to the state program on improving standards of living and increasing employment of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), which was adopted in 2004, deputy Prime Minister, chairman of the State Committee for Refugees and IDPs Ali Hasanov told a news conference on November 1.
According to him, the previous program paid attention to the three following components - improvement of social conditions, liaison with international organizations and employment. the revised program kept these components, with the emphasis put on creation of the infrastructure - gas, electricity, water supply, construction of roads, sewage system, schools, hospitals. It is chiefly related to Agdam, Fuzuli and Bilasuvar regions.
At the first pre-election meeting with refugees in the Bilasuvar region Ilham Aliyev pledged that there would be no refugee camps soon. Ali Hasanov stressed that the Head of State has kept his promise. 9 out of 12 temporary settlements were removed.
47 settlements have to date been constructed. 106 schools, 820-meter power transmission lines, roads, water pipelines have been built at the Committee’s expense.
In total, 700 million manats have been spent to meet refugees’ needs.
Ali Hasanov noted that all international organizations in the country praised the draft program.
The Committee has prepared materials, films in 7 languages on the history of the 200-year history of Armenian policy and work done to find a solution to the Karabakh conflict. They were distributed to all Azerbaijani embassies abroad.
In conclusion, A. Hasanov responded to journalists’ questions.