Owing to the 18th anniversary of pogroms of Armenians in Sumgait the National Assembly has released a statement, which says “since the first day of establishment of soviet authority in Azerbaijan policy of forcing out Armenians was held at the seized Armenian territories. A new phase of that policy began in February 1988, which resulted in expatriation of Armenian population from Nakhichevan, Nizinny (low-lying) Karabakh, Gandzak and other historical Armenian places.” “To stop pogroms there was a national-liberation war, which resulted in declaration of the NKR, based on people’s right to self-determination by means of a referendum. Evidence of presence of Armenians, especially khachkars in Old Julfa, is destroyed in territory that remained under Azerbaijan’s jurisdiction at present. Mild criticism of the act by the international community resulted in Azeri authorities undertaking another act of vandalism – demolition of the Christian cemetery in Baku,” the statement of the Armenian Parliament says.
The Parliament emphasizes that efforts to settle the Nagorno Karabakh conflict fail owing to Azerbaijan’s intolerant stand. «It seems Azerbaijan drags out time to see fulfilled the program on elimination of Armenians. Appreciating the European Parliament resolution, which censures the vandalism and anti-Armenian actions of Azeri authorities, we expect a firmer stand from the international community and forming atmosphere of peace and mutual cooperation,» Armenian MPs say, reported the Press Service of the Armenian Parliament.
