British Parliament highlights demining and reconstruction works carried out in Azerbaijani lands

The demining and restoration works carried out in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan have been addressed during the debates in the British Parliament, Azertag reports.

During the debates, Deputy Head of UK-Azerbaijan inter-parliamentary friendship group David Duguid asked UK Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Leo Docherty about the support provided by the British government and companies in the process of demining of Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region, as well as restoration of cities and settlements destroyed and looted during Armenian occupation.

In his response, Leo Docherty said that the British government continues assessing the humanitarian situation in the region, adding that since 2020, 1 million GBP has been allocated to the UN Development Program for demining activities in the region and that negotiations are underway with the Azerbaijani government on reconstruction and reintegration issues.

In general, Azerbaijan is among the most mine- and unexploded ordnance-contaminated countries in the world. More than 1.5 million mines were buried in these territories during the occupation.

Armenia planted land mines in Azerbaijani territory, not only during the 30-year-long occupation but also just days before leaving the Azerbaijani lands, as envisaged in the trilateral declaration to cause human casualties.

Civilians and military personnel are frequently maimed or killed as a result of mine explosions in Azerbaijan's liberated regions.

Despite extensive efforts, demining operations faced many challenges due to Armenia’s refusal to hand over maps displaying the locations of the landmines.

ANAMA (Azerbaijan Mine Action Agency) reported that the maps provided by Armenia were just 2 per cent effective in mine action. According to the Azerbaijani government data, international experts estimate that Azerbaijan needs nearly 30 years and $25 billion to solve issues related to demining.