Riyadh, January 21, AZERTAC

The Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has hosted a mourning event dedicated to the 27th anniversary of 20 January tragedy. The event brought together employees of the Embassy, foreign guests, businessmen, as well as Azerbaijanis living in Saudi Arabia.

The ceremony started with a minute of silence for blessed memory of the martyrs who died for the independence of their Motherland.

Then Ambassador Rasim Rzayev gave detailed information about the tragedy committed by Soviet troops on January 20, 1990 in Azerbaijan, and the crimes committed against civilians who walked out in the streets for the sake of independence of Azerbaijan. Rasim Rzayev said that in 1985 the Soviet Union led by Mikhail Gorbachev provided support to Armenian nationalists, who lived with the dream of Nagorno-Karabakh secession from Azerbaijan and the creation of "Great Armenia". The diplomat noted that the shocking events of 1988 around Nagorno-Karabakh and the policy of double standards have resulted into the protest of our people.

Ambassador Rzayev stressed that national leader Heydar Aliyev arrived in permanent representation of Azerbaijan in Moscow and revealed to journalists at a press conference plans of Gorbachev’s dirty politics. Based on the facts Heydar Aliyev brought to the attention of the world community the main objective of the events of January 20.

Afterwards, the employees of the Embassy - 1st Secretary Mehdi Abdullayev and 3rd Secretary Imran Sadikhov, as well as Yashar Valiyev and other nationals living in Saudi Arabia, shared their thoughts and concerns about the bloody events of 20 January. They noted that leading a decisive struggle for justice people of Azerbaijan expressed their will firmly standing face to face with Soviet tanks. Grateful people of Azerbaijan will always highly appreciate the bright memory of the heroic sons and daughters who gave their lives.

Then 2nd Secretary of the Embassy Elvin Khalilli read a statement of the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Azerbaijan due to the 27th anniversary of the tragedy of January 20, 1990.

After the official part of the event participants familiarized themselves with a photo exhibition placed at the Embassy, reflecting the horrors of Bloody January.

In connection with the day of commemoration of the martyrs - January 20 Statement of the Ombudsman of the Republic of Azerbaijan was sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman, also it was spread in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, located in Jeddah.

In connection with the 27th anniversary of the events of January 20 Saudi Arabia’s leading newspaper “Riyadh” has published articles in Arabic and English languages by Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan Rasim Rzayev.

Sabir Shahtakhti

Specail correspondent