Meeting was held with UNHCR’s Director of Bureau for Europe at State Migration Service

Deputy Chief of State Migration Service, III rank state migration service counselor Parviz Musayev met with Director of Bureau for Europe of UN’s High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Mr.Vincent Cochetel and delegation headed by him.

At the meeting the representative of UNHCR in our country Furio De Angelis and new Regional Representative for Eastern Caucasus of the organization based in Georgia, Johannes van der Klaauw participated, as well.

Greeting the guests and congratulating Johannes van der Klaauw on the occasion of new assignment Deputy Chief of Service gave broad information on significance of improving close cooperation ties between State Migration Service and Representation of UNHCR in Azerbaijan and successfully implementing a number of projects. It was noted that achievements gained in the framework of UNHCR’s campaign “To end statelessness in 10 years”, as well as active participation of Azerbaijani delegation on high level summit of UN General Assembly on “Addressing large movements of refugees and migrants” in New-York, including round table named “International action and cooperation on refugees and migrants and issues related to displacement: the way ahead” are the indicators of developing and effective cooperation between entities. It was mentioned that strengthening the cooperation between states and relevant bodies of UN has a great importance on solving the problems of refugees, IDPs and migrants.

The rapid development and achievements in global arena gained by Azerbaijan in recent years under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, attitude demonstrated towards the migrants in Europe throughout the centuries and expedient measures taken in the direction of handling the problems of refugees and IDPs in our country were pointed out at the meeting. It was noted that Azerbaijan, which faced the problem of more than 1 million refugees and IDPs as a result of occupation of 20 per cent of its territories by Armenia, coped with this crisis alone. Today the foreigners and stateless persons arriving in the country with the purpose of obtaining refugee status are provided with attention and care.  This fact ascertains that the state of Azerbaijan which is living in a war condition sensitively approaches the protection of not only the rights of citizens but also the rights of foreigners and proves to have a power for its provision. 

Vincent Cochetel highly appraised the works done by the Azerbaijani state in the direction of improving the living conditions of refugees and IDPs, highlighted the importance of carrying joint activities with the State Migration Service in the direction of protecting the rights of stateless persons and expressed the confidence on further development of efficient mutual cooperation. Later on the exchange of opinion was held on the issues of mutual interest.