Baku, Azerbaijan, April 8
By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:
A high-ranking official of Azerbaijan has today met with a delegation of members of Turkish parliament and Istanbul Chamber of Commerce.
"Azerbaijan and Turkey currently enjoy friendly and fraternal relations in all areas and these relations stand at the highest level," said Ali Hasanov, Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the State Committee for Affairs of Refugees and IDPs, and Chairman of the State Committee for International Humanitarian Aid.
Hasanov made these remarks during the meeting praising the relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey, State Committee for Affairs of Refugees and IDPs told Trend on Monday, April 7.
Deputy PM told the guests about the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and its consequences. During the meeting it was noted that 20 percent of Azerbaijani territories have been occupied and over one million Azerbaijanis have become refugees and IDPs as a result of Armenian aggression.
He also said Armenians conducted their plan against Azerbaijan gradually, and even in 1918 thousands of people were killed and Azerbaijani settlements were looted.
Hasanov added that the whole Turkic and Muslim world must fight together against the Armenian aggression. He went on to say that drugs are produced in Azerbaijan's occupied lands and trafficked through them. Hasanov also pointed out that terrorist organizations are being trained in Azerbaijan's occupied territories.
While stressing that Azerbaijan supports the peaceful settlement of the problem, Hasanov emphasized that the Azerbaijani government has conducted a great deal of work in legal and socio-economic spheres to meet the needs of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
"Some $5.4 billion have been allocated for these purposes in the last 20 years," he added.
Hasanov said several Turkish humanitarian organizations rendered the first humanitarian assistance to the refugees and IDPs.
He also regretted that the negotiation process, which has taken place for over 20 years under the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group, has yielded no results.
The delegation's chairman and member of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Ozturk Oran said in turn that Khojaly genocide is a crime against humanity.
"The perpetrators must be punished in accordance with international law to avoid repetition of such cases," he said.
Oran was informed about the Azerbaijani government's work on ensuring the needs of refugees and IDPs.
"Armenians must not forget that Armenia was created on Azerbaijani lands," he added.
Oran also spoke about the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce and added that this organization is one of the largest NGOs in the world.
MP from the Turkish ruling Justice and Development Party Seyit Sertcelik and other speakers stressed the importance of working together in bringing out the truth about the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan.
Translated by E.A. and N.H.
Edited by C.N.