USA urges Azerbaijan to ensure safe return of displaced residents from Nagorno-Karabakh

YEREVAN, JULY 10, ARMENPRESS. The United States of America, like many other entities of the international community, calls on Azerbaijan to ensure the right of the population forcibly displaced from Nagorno Karabakh to return safely to their homes.

USAID Administrator Samantha Power said during a press conference, addressing the issue of the return of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians to their homeland, as well as their rights.

She mentioned that during her previous visit, in September 2023, the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh were fleeing to the Republic of Armenia.

"I keep it within me to this day. I remember the stories that the people who came from there told me. They spoke about the disaster they were going through and the fears they had before coming to Armenia," Power recalled, adding that she remembers how the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh were under siege and could not get food, receive medicine, or obtain other necessary supplies before the final occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh by Azerbaijan.

"At least now I feel relieved that members of these families have been able to reunite and find each other, but not everyone has been so fortunate,'' she said.

Touching upon the issue of the right of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh to return to their homeland, Power noted that, as in the previous conversation with  the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Brussels, the need to ensure the welfare of more than 100,000 people and their rights was emphasized during this visit.

"As you know, the Armenian government makes significant efforts to provide opportunities for these people so that they have the chance to find work. According to the data from June, their employment rate has increased, but there is no doubt that much work remains to be done in this direction, as these people left behind a lot and endured a great deal of pain," said Power in her speech.

She noted that the U.S. Agency for International Development provides support to these families, also provides psychological support, and has supported the schools and kindergartens that have admitted displaced children from Nagorno-Karabakh.

"The United States, like many entities in the international community, calls for the rights of these individuals and families to be secured so that they can return to their homes willingly and safely. Many families simply wish to visit their churches, monasteries, and the graves of their relatives, but so far, this return has not happened," emphasized Samantha Power. She stressed that the US will continue to advocate and work in this direction but noted that proper conditions must be provided for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh to return to their homeland.

Addressing the legal assessment of the steps taken by Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, the USAID Administrator noted that the United States Department of State is studying the issue. 

"We are aware of the latest reports that have recently been released, where there is documented data and interviews with numerous families who survived the events of recent years and specifically September 2023," she added.