The Azerbaijani Community of Nagorno-Karabakh has issued a statement on this letter.
Many women from the Community signed the letter. The letter reads:
`As you know, the military units of Armenian Armed Forces occupied Azerbaijani territories– the Nagorno-Karabakh and the 7 adjacent regions having violated the international norms of law.
Ethnic cleansing by Armenia forced to Azerbaijanis leave the Nagorno-Karabakh. The culminating point of the ethnic cleansing is the Khojaly genocide committed by Armenians on February 26, 1992. Azerbaijan commemorated the 25th of the Khojaly genocide a few days ago. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan directly guided the organization of the genocide and confirmed it in his interviews to the international media. During the Khojaly genocide, 613 people, including 106 women, 63 children and 70 older people were killed; hundreds of people were severely injured; 1275 people were taken hostages. 8 families were totally exterminated, 25 children lost both, whereas 130 children lost one parent; captives and hostages were subjected to merciless torture. Human rights of those people, especially the fundamental right to life, were grossly violated.
Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent seven regions are an integral part of Azerbaijan. This is re-affirmed once again by the international law, as well as by the UN Security Council Resolutions 822, 853, 874, 884 from 1993, UNGA Resolution on “Situation on the occupied territories of Azerbaijan” dated on 14 March, 2008, Resolution 1416 from 2005 and Recommendation 1669 from 2009 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe confirming the occupation of Azerbaijani territories by the Armenian military forces, and governing of Nagorno-Karabakh by separatist regime. As a consequence, over one million of the Azerbaijani people became refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), whose fundamental rights and freedoms were severely violated.
We would like to remind you that the European Court of Human rights has reaffirmed Armenia’s responsibility in the occupation of Azerbaijani territories and violation of violation of Azerbaijani IDPs' rights. Furthermore, the ECHR highlighted the violation of European Convention on Human Rights by Armenia. However, Armenian communities and lobby in foreign countries conduct disinformation and calumny campaigns against Azerbaijan in the international media. They describe Azerbaijan as a nondemocratic country. On the other side, they keep spreading fake information on the efforts of Armenian`s marionette occupant regime to build `democracy` in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh.
Minor problems of Azerbaijan in the field of democratic development which gained its independence 25 years ago are being overstated and widely distributed while very serious problems of Armenia have not been discussed yet. Isn’t it double standard?
As it is known, Armenian communities and lobbies carry out `electoral blackmailing diplomacy` in France too. For example, the French town of Bourg les Valence signed the illegal `friendship declaration` with the Armenian-occupied ancient Azerbaijani Shusha city. Marlene Mourier, the Mayor of the city tried to justify his action under the name of `support for democracy`.
We as displaced residents of ancient Azerbaijani Shusha city appeal to the Mayor of the French town of Bourg les Valence Marlene Mourier that the population of Shusha was 23,000 people until 1989, while 20,000 of whom were Azerbaijanis and only 3,000 Armenians. The Armenian Armed Forces occupied Shusha on May 8, 1992 and conducted the policy of ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis. Hundreds of Azerbaijanis were brutally killed, wounded and taken hostage by the Armenians. 480 civilians were killed, 600 wounded, 22,000 displaced. 68 people were taken hostage by the Armenians. Nothing is known about their fate. As a result of the occupation, a number of historical-cultural monuments in Shusha were destroyed by Armenians. Here include 279 religious, historical and cultural monuments, as well as Khan Cave, Gakhal cave, Shusha castle.Armenians destroyed or misappropriated a number of Azerbaijani monuments. They destroyed 7 pre-school facilities, 22 schools, cultural, agricultural technical schools, 8 culture houses, 14 clubs, 20 libraries, 2 cinemas, 3 museums and factory of Eastern musical instruments. As a result of the occupation of Shusha by the Armenian Armed Forces, 289 sq km of Azerbaijan’s territory went to the control of Armenians.
We want to ask, the occupation of a region, the forcibly displacement of its population, exposure to the policy of ethnic cleansing and other human rights violations how can be considered as `support for democracy`?! Are these kind of illegal actions which are contrary to the international law, democracy and human rights in accordance with the values of France, the cradle of human rights?
We also want to mention that Armenian Government expresses its dreams about the right to self-determination of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians and establishment of `an artificial government` in the occupied Azerbaijani lands. However, according to the Helsinki Final Act, which was prepared during Stage II of the Helsinki negotiations, self-determination must not violate the territorial integrity of States.
Ilham Aliyev, the Head of Azerbaijani Republic reiterated many times that a reasonable compromise is possible - ensuring security of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, their livelihoods, local government, the implementation of various investment projects on the part of Azerbaijan and peaceful interaction between the two nations on the condition of liberation of territories outside Nagorno-Karabakh autonomous region. `However, there can be no compromise on the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, as Baku would never agree to Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence. But there can be compromise on the issues of local self-government`, he added. Unfortunately, current authoritarian regime in the Republic of Armenia thwarts all peaceful attempts.
As we know from the media that you will receive Serj Sargsyan, the main perpetrator of the Khojaly Genocide and the current President of Armenian Republic on 8 March, 2017 in Paris – on the day of International Women`s Day.
On behalf of the all IDP women of Azerbaijani Community of Nagorno-Karabakh, we ask you to pressure Armenian`s Sargsyan as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk group to peacefully settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict under the international law, relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and the Helsinki Final Act of the OSCE. Furthermore, we demand Sargsyan not to prevent the establishment and development of the dialogue between Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, the activity of Armenia-Azerbaijan Platform for Peace, restoration of human rights of the IDPs and celebration of the next International Women`s day in or native lands.
Considering the above mentioned international commitments, we do hope that France as one of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group will strengthen its mediation function.
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