The meeting was held with the president of ”International Rein Association”, French writer Gerard Cardon.

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Mətbuat xidmətinin məlumatı 19 January, 2017

On January 19, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the State Committee on Deals of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, Chairman of the Republic Commission on International Humanitarian Aid Mr. Ali Hasanov held a meeting with the president of “International Rein Association”, French writer Gerard Cardon visiting our country. French writer Gerard Cardon said that he arrived in our country in order to write the work of art titled “Azerbaijani woman’’ and to gather extensive information about Azerbaijan. He also stated that beside the work of art on the basis of the information gathered at the end of the trip he was going to write a book about Khodjaly tragedy. Ali Hasanov welcomed the guest and expressed his confidence that this trip would contribute to the extension of more complete information about our country in France and he highly appreciated the trip of Gerard Cardon with the goal of writing the book about Azerbaijan women. Ali Hasanov has stated that bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and France are on the high level due to the results of the activity of the President Ilham Aliyev and the first lady of our country Mrs.Mehriban Aliyeva and that these relations cover many spheres and they are on the fast track. Deputy Prime Minister who gave the information about our country noted that successful state administration, comprehensive reforms, socio-economic programs directed to the development of regions, fast integration into the world economic system, oil strategy, results of the sound foreign policy, international prestige of our country, fast increasing socio-economic development, socio-political stability in the country carried out under the administration of the worthy successor of the great leader Heydar Aliyev’s policy the President Ilham Aliyev are in plain view. Today Azerbaijan is the focus of attention due to its development rates, tolerance, peacekeeping approach. As an example of the tolerance Azerbaijan pays attention to the intercultural and inter-religious dialogue. For centuries the members of other nations had been coexisting in Azerbaijan with the locals in peace and quiet condition. Ali Hasanov notified that today Azerbaijan women were distinguished by their activity in the large-scale projects implemented for the dynamic development of the society. At the same time, strong measures have been taken in the sphere of protection of women rights and the increase of their independence economically. Furthermore, in 1918 women in Azerbaijan were enfranchised for the first time at the East. Today the president of Heydar Aliyev Fund Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva has raised the prestige of Azerbaijani women all over the world by her broad activity. Providing information on Armenia-Azerbaijan, Daghlig Garabagh conflict, historical roots and reasons of its creation in chronological sequence in interview, the Deputy Prime Minister stated that in the last 200 years Azerbaijanis were exposed to forced relocation from their native lands, ethnic cleansing and deportation policy for several times due to complex political processes occurring in Southern Caucasus which resulted in step-by step invasion of Azerbaijan territories. “Armenia was established by the historical territories of Azerbaijan. One of the ancient cities of Azerbaijan, Yerevan is the capital of Armenia now”, - mentioned Ali Hasanov. Aiming at the conquest of Caucasus, the Tsarist Russia launched war operations against Iran over the territories of Azerbaijan. As the result, all khanates of the Northern Azerbaijan were occupied by the Russian Empire. In accordance with the Turkmenchay Treaty between the Tsarist Russia and Iran, signed on 10 February 1828, the Northern Azerbaijan was annexed to Russian Empire, while the Southern Azerbaijan was included into Iran. During the war of 1826-1828, eighteen thousand Armenian families were moved from Iran and Southern Azerbaijani territories to South Caucasus. During the next two years, 40 thousand Armenians from Iran and 84 thousand Armenians from Turkey were moved to Elizavetpol and Erivan Governorates. Foreign journalists have been informed that Azerbaijani people living in their native lands in the territory of Armenia have been deported from their lands for 4 times in the last 200 years- in the years of 1905, 1918, 1948-1952 and 1988-1992. The last deportation was carried out in the time of President Mikhail Gorbachev. In fact, it was not a deportation but the ethnic cleansing. As a result of this 250 thousand Azerbaijani people have been displaced from Armenia in those years. Upon Mikhail Gorbachev’s ascent to power in 1985, the Armenians and pro-Armenian forces quickly moved into action and started implementing their plans based on their long-aspired dream of “Greater Armenia.” After the Armenian nationalists obtained Mikhail Gorbachev’s consent during his visit to France in 1986, the only obstacle remaining on their path was the first deputy chairman of the Council of Ministers of USSR and the only Azerbaijani member of the Central Committee of the Soviet Union Communist Party – Mr. Heydar Aliyev. Knowing Heydar Aliyev’s firm and uncompromising position on this issue, even from the times of his service as the First Secretary of the Central Committee of Azerbaijan Communist Party, the Armenian separatists and their protectors in Kremlin managed to remove him from office in 1987. After the events of Sumgait in February 1988, instigated with the help of State Security Committee of USSR and the Armenians themselves, more than 250 thousand Azerbaijanis residing in Armenia were forced to leave their native lands due to threats and terror of Armenian nationalists. Concerning the results of military aggression by Armenian armed force against Azerbaijan, the Deputy Prime Minister stated that 20 percent of our territory was occupied, one million two hundred citizens became refugees and IDPs, national-cultural resources were plundered, the whole infrastructure was destroyed due to the conflict. The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that four resolutions were adopted by UN Security Council on the liberation of occupied territories of Azerbaijan, relocation of refugees and IDPs to their native lands in 1993: “Aggressive policy of Armenia was condemned in decisions and resolutions adopted by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and other influential international organizations. Unfortunately, these decisions and resolutions have not been solved yet. Negotiations conducted more that 20 years through the mediation of OSCE Minsk group haven’t yield any result yet as well”. Ali Hasanov noted that Armenian armed forces committed crime of genocide against Azerbaijanis in Khojaly city by means of 366th motorized rifle regiment of former USSR located in Khojaly armed with the modern combat weapons of that period on February 25-26, 1992. Consequently innocent people were mercilessly killed. He mentioned that a number of countries in the world recognized this tragedy as genocide. Emphasizing that the people committing this tragedy are in power in Armenia at present, the Deputy Prime Minister, Ali Hasanov stated that the position of this invader country, non-fulfillment of resolutions adopted by the influential international organizations, conducting aggressive policy at present are dangerous not only for the region and the whole world as well. Thus, using the resources allocated by the State Oil Fund, 95 new settlements were constructed, complete with social and technical infrastructure, with residential apartments covering the total area of 3.2 million sq.m, improving the housing conditions for 50 thousand families and 250 thousand refugees and IDPs. The leaders of influential organizations visiting Azerbaijan have highly regarded Azerbaijan’s efforts and collaboration with international humanitarian organizations in this area. French writer Gerard Cardon expressed his gratitude for sincere meeting. He talked about his wish to write the book about Azerbaijani women. The guest noted that he had already implemented such project regarding women in numerous countries. It was brought to the attention that the work of art devoted to women would be in two parts in the form of novel. The life of women, their role in the society, the protection of their rights and other issues will be described in this book. The guest emphasized that the information received at the meeting would help him very much in this work. Gerard Cardon highly appreciated the development of Azerbaijan and stated that today poverty and starvation dominated in Armenia, people left the country and their nation opposed against current regime.