Artsakh Foreign Ministry: Refugees and IDPs are one of the key issues  of settlement

ArmInfo. The problem of refugees and internally displaced persons is one of the key issues in the settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict. The Information and Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the  Artsakh Republic expressed a similar opinion in response to a request  from ArmInfo.

, the Foreign Ministry noted.

Azerbaijan periodically cites the notorious as an  argument in the negotiation process.  The Armenian side of the  negotiations mainly continues to appeal to the right of peoples to  self- determination. Meanwhile, a more active involvement of the  factor of the problems of Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan by the  negotiators will finally allow returning the process "to the ground",  from the problems of the territories to the problems of people  directly affected by the conflict. According to the UN, Azerbaijan  occupies the homes of 360 thousand Armenian refugees, and Armenia -  250 thousand Azerbaijani.

The republic's foreign policy department also emphasized the priority  for the authorities of the Artsakh Republic on the humanitarian side  of the problem and the integration of this category of people into  normal life. Unlike the Azerbaijani authorities, who manipulate the  problem of refugees and internally displaced persons solely for the  purpose of receiving political or propaganda dividends.

In this light, the ministry noted that during a meeting with the OSCE  Chairperson-in-Office Miroslav Lajcak, Artsakh Foreign Minister Masis  Mayilian emphasized the OSCE commitment to the full realization of  the fundamental rights and freedoms of the residents of the republic,  including refugees and IDPs. And this is regardless of the unresolved  Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict.

''The meeting was also attended by the head of the Union of Armenian  Refugees from Azerbaijan operating in Artsakh, who for the first time  had the opportunity to present the situation with Armenian refugees  living in Artsakh to the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office. In addition,  this problem is presented in the documents of the Artsakh Ministry of  Foreign Affairs, which are distributed in the UN, OSCE, Council of  Europe and other international structures. The authorities of the  Artsakh Republic will continue to take consistent steps aimed at  promoting the rights of Armenian refugees and internally displaced  persons living in the republic, including in the process of peaceful  settlement of the conflict>, the Artsakh Foreign Ministry said.