Ombudsman of Azerbaijan Elmira Suleymanova adopted a Statement in connection with anniversary of Khojali genocide, addressed the UN Secretary General, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the Council of Europe, OSCE. The Statement runs:

“Numerous historical documents witness that millions of Azerbaijanis undergone yet in 1905-1907, 1918-1920, 1948-1953s in their historical lands in the Caucasus the policy of purge and genocide by the Armenian nationalists, were massacred and deported from their homelands.

The Armenian aggression unleashed against our country since 1988 is also the continuation of this dirty policy”.

The Statement goes on: “Right 12 years ago, over the night from February 25 to 26, 1992, the Armenian aggressors using hard military equipment and the personnel of the infantry guards regiment 366 of the former Soviet Union, attacked the Azerbaijani city Khojali and committed genocide against our people. The massed firing with using artillery weapon proceeded assault of the city. Armenian armed forces with the military support of the infantry guards regiment destroyed Khojali city and with particular brutality implemented carnage over the peaceful population.

As a result of massacre committed by the Armenian aggressors against Azerbaijani people in Khojali, were killed 613 people, including 106 women, 70 olds. 1275 peaceful habitants of the city were taken hostages. 150 people are missing up to date. Several families were killed completely. The captured civilians were with particular brutality undergone severe torture.

Commitment of such unprecedented acts in predetermined order to completely or partly annihilate the people because of national belonging proves that according to the international and inter-state laws this was just genocide. The acts of vandalism and atrocities committed by the Armenian aggressors should be assessed equal to the tragedy of Khatin and Songmi, which the progressive mankind has recognized as genocide. The peace loving people, civilized state, authoritative international organizations of globe, international community should be aware of this bitter truth, of this crime, implemented against humanity, should be given legal assessment.

According to the international law, the genocide is a commitment against peace and humanity and is consider the heaviest international crime. The UN Convention on prevention of genocide crime and punishment of the culprits was adopted at the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1948, #260 (III) and came into force in 1961. The Convention provides with legal ground for prevention of genocide crime.

The Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan bear all the crimes mentioned by the said Convention. The world community is eyewitness of the aggressive policy of this country for long years. According to the international law, the principles of UN and OSCE, the inviolability of the borders of states should be respected and violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty is unacceptable. Though the UN Security Council has adopted four Resolutions on liberation of the occupied Azerbaijani lands without any condition, the aggressive Armenia ignores these documents.

The Azerbaijani side is persistently for peaceful settlement of this conflict. President Heydar Aliyev has made courageous steps in regard with this crucial problem. In the Millennium Summit of the United Nations in New York in September 2000, Mr. Heydar Aliyev has stated: “Without settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, without prevention of the external pressure in the region, it is impossible to reach peace and safety in the region”.

In the 58th session of the UN General Assembly President Ilham Aliyev yet in the post of Prime Minister of Azerbaijan, has called the world community not to be indifferent to the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan, expressed resolute protest against the double standard of the world union in this issue. Azerbaijan has achieved recognition by the Council of Europe of Armenia as an aggressor state, occupation of the Nagorny Karabakh and 7 adjacent regions of Azerbaijan is reflected in the PACE documents”.

The Statement concludes: “With a great hope, addressing the world community, authoritative international organizations, and world peoples, I am confident that the world will put an end to the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijani lands, the policy of terror, support settlement of this conflict peacefully and by negotiations, liberation of the occupied lands and return of over one million Azerbaijani refugees to their homelands, restore their Constitutional rights.

I hope the influential international organizations will back the fair position of Azerbaijan, the justice will win, and the culprits of the aggression against our Country, those who committed the Khojali genocide will respond before the international court”.