British Parliament discusses issue of Demining & restoration in Azerbaijani territories

The issue of demining and restoration in Azerbaijani territories liberated from occupation has been raised in the British Parliament, Azernews reports.

The Azerbaijani Embassy in the UK reports that David Duguid, Deputy Chairman of the Friendship Group on British-Azerbaijani inter-parliamentary relations, asked Minister of State for Europe and North America Leo Docherty in the course of discussions in Parliament what support the UK government and companies provide in the process of clearing the Garabagh region of Azerbaijan of mines laid by the Armenian armed forces, as well as in the restoration of towns and settlements that were looted and destroyed during the occupation.

Responding to the question, the Minister of State noted that the British Government continues to assess the humanitarian situation in the region, 1 million pounds sterling has been allocated within the framework of the UN Development Program for the demining of the region from 2020, and discussions are underway with the Azerbaijani government on reconstruction and reintegration.

Note that Azerbaijan has been struggling to clear the Garabagh economic region and East Zangazur from mines since it liberated the territories from Armenian occupation. Armenia's planting of mines and unexploded ordnance left in the territory pose a serious threat to speedy reconstruction work and the return of IDPs to their homes.

Azerbaijan stands among the countries suffering from mine issues, and this issue has been raised several times at UN organisations as many civilians still become victims of landmines.

Meanwhile, despite some maps that Armenia has provided earlier regarding the locations of landmines, they have not been true.