It is unacceptable that the refugees and internally displaced persons living in Artsakh are deprived of international protection and support, which is a gross violation of their fundamental rights

The problem of refugees and internally displaced persons is one of the key issues in the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict settlement process. It should be noted that this problem arose as a result of the massacres and ethnic cleansing carried out by the Azerbaijani authorities in the Armenian-populated areas of Azerbaijan and Northern Artsakh and subsequently – the large-scale war unleashed against Artsakh in response to the realization of the right to self-determination by the people of Artsakh. This fact is important in terms of the methodology of resolving the issue of responsibility for the situation, as well as the problem of refugees and displaced persons.

Unlike the Azerbaijani authorities, who manipulate the problem of refugees and internally displaced persons exclusively for gaining political or propaganda dividends, the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh consider the humanitarian aspect of the problem and the integration of this category of people into a normal life a priority.

It should be noted that due to the destructive policy of Azerbaijan on the issue, to this day our state continues to take appropriate measures aimed at providing the essential living conditions for about 30 000 refugees and internally displaced persons who have found shelter in Artsakh without any international support.

It is unacceptable that the refugees and internally displaced persons living in Artsakh are deprived of international protection and support, which is a gross violation of their fundamental rights. The authorities of the Republic of Artsakh take certain steps in this direction to draw the attention of the specialized international agencies to the problem and make the voice of the refugees and internally displaced persons living in Artsakh better heard. In particular, during a meeting with the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Miroslav Lajcak, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Artsakh Masis Mayilian emphasized the OSCE commitment to the full-fledged realization of the fundamental rights and freedoms of the residents of the Republic, including the refugees and internally displaced persons, regardless of the unresolved status of Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict. The Chairman of the Union of Armenian Refugees from Azerbaijan operating in Artsakh also participated in the meeting, and for the first time he had the opportunity to brief the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on the situation of the Armenian refugees living in Artsakh. In addition, this problem is presented in the documents of the Foreign Ministry of Artsakh, which are distributed in the UN, OSCE, Council of Europe and other international structures.

The authorities of the Republic of Artsakh will continue to take consistent steps aimed at promoting the rights of the Armenian refugees and internally displaced persons living in the Republic, including in the process of peaceful settlement of the conflict.