The presidency of the “Congress of Refugees from Azerbaijani SSR” held a discussion titled “City Establishment Project in the Liberated Territories for the Refugees from Azerbaijani SSR” at the hall of the Armenian Assembly of America. During the talk with Aravot.am Mariam Avagyan, Coordinator of the “Congress of Refugees from Azerbaijani SSR”, informed that they had first spoken about the project in 2011. “The embassies of the USA, United Kingdom, France, Sweden, Iran and RF in Armenia did not say that the Armenian refugees from the Azerbaijani SSR did not have the right to live in the liberated territories, but they doubted that it would become “a city of peace”.
We understand that till the territory is called “occupied”, it becomes a territory of conserved conflict” noted Mariam Avagyan. Our interlocutor detailed “By saying liberated territory we mean those seven districts that are called “occupied”. We have chosen the Southern zone – the valley of the Hagar and Vorotan rivers- for the design of the settlement construction because it is in the neighborhood of Iran. Iran is a state equipped with moral norms. Defense Army of NKR as well as Iran will ensure our security in that territory. We are sure about it”. Mariam Avagyan also noted that at one time they had turned to the authorities of RA and NKR with this program. “Without reconciling it with the external powers they did not comply with our proposal, but they did not forbid either that’s why we have got self-organized”. Let us add that according to the date of the Congress, in consequence of the Azerbaijani “genocidal machine” from 1988 to 1995 approximately 600 000 Armenians living in Azerbaijan SSR became refugees.
Luisa SUKIASYAN
