The UN High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) Baku office has registered over 10,000 refugees from the Chechen Republic, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and Pakistan. 8,500 of these people are Chechens and some 1,500 Afghanis. (20 Oct 2004)
The most needy refugees receive $80-100 in financial assistance per month, the spokesman for the UNHCR office said.
He said the registered refugees are interviewed to determine whether they will go back to their home countries, stay in Azerbaijan or go to a third country.
In 2003, foreign refugee children were granted permission to study in Azerbaijan´s general education schools. Their number is currently 700, as compared to 400 last year. Few years before, Helinki Citizens Assembly Azerbaijan National Commitee started a kindergarden for Chechen children in Baku. On the other side, the Russian Federation, where has protracted conflict with Chechens, frequently accuses Azerbaijan in fostering Chehcen fighters and hosting Chechen refugees.
