Speaking at the Parliament today, Chairman of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Foreign Relations Artak Zakaryan referred to the Azerbaijani propagana campaign on the so-called “Khojaly” events:
“Azerbaijan’s costly propaganda in different corners of the world is continuing its fraud march, which in these days is devoted to so-called “Khojaly,” actually to the Aghdam events. What happened?
On February 26, 1992, Aghdam events took place, which are interpreted as “Khojaly massacre” by Azerbaijan. During these events, the Azerbaijani armed groupings ruthlessly shot down a number of residents of Khojaly settlement in a territory under their control. In order to overthrow President Muthalibov, the opposition Azerbaijani National Front used the forced operation of Karabakh armed forces aimed to suppress the Azeri shooting, as this was where capital Stepanakert and surrounding areas were being shelled from. This is also evidenced by President Ayaz Mutalibov in his interview on 2th of April, 1992 to “ Nezavisimaya Gazeta.” Before the operation, the Karabakh side, according to the norms of humanitarian law, informed Khojaly authorities about planned operation and leaving a corridor for the safe evacuation of Azerbaijani population.
After the tragic events in the territories controlled by Azerbaijanis Azeri journalist Cnigiz Mustafaev photographed and filmed the dead bodies which were not disfigured. The existing files confirm that the Karabakh side physically was not able to access the territories where the people were killed and the bodies were disfigured.
After the upheaval followed by Khojaly provocation, the Azerbaijani new leadership headed by Abulfaz Elchibey, initiated a deliberate falsification of the events to conceal his monstrous crime interpreting it as “a massacre” of civilians by Karabakh forces.
This policy is being continued by official Azerbaijan till today. By distorted propaganda of presenting Aghdam events as massacre of Khojaly Azerbaijani authorities are trying to hit the international reputation of two Armenian states, to impose the distorted interpretation of the events on the international community to boost anti-Armenian moods.
I call on our partner parliamentarians from different states, municipal and provincial councils to avoid the pitfalls of Azerbaijani propaganda. Don’t buy into false information and fictitious events. Keep clean the parliamentary agendas and don’t let the Azerbaijani propaganda penetrate there. If you are looking for those responsible for Khojaly events, so look for them in Azerbaijan.”
