CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE DESCRIBES KARABAKH CONFLICT FROM ARMENIAN POSITION
Trend
Feb 23 2012
Azerbaijan
A resolution proposed by some members of the Californian legislative
Assembly on the day of remembrance of the Karabakh conflict on
February 27, seriously distorts the historical facts It has a
one-sided view on the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and seeks to
make California legislators take an unfair and biased position in
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict according to a letter of the President
of the Azerbaijani-American Council Ismail Rustamov to members of
the Assembly.
Several members of the California Assembly submitted a draft of
resolution (ACR 96) on January 30, which is likely to be approved
on February 27, 2012, the day when victims of Armenian pogroms in
the Azerbaijani cities of Sumgait, Ganja and Baku in 1988-1990 will
be remembered.
The draft resolution deliberately ignores the mention of the Khojaly
massacre of Azerbaijani civilians, whose anniversary will be celebrated
on February 26, 2012, Mr Rustamov wrote in a letter.
According to the Human Rights Watch, the killing of 613 civilians
including 106 women and 63 children was a mass murder of civilians
during the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.
The petition against the resolution which has more than 2500
signatures collected in two days was attached to the letter to
the congressmen. American media has already responded to the draft
resolution.
A bill introduced in the Californian Assembly describes the events in
the separatist region of Azerbaijan - Nagorno-Karabakh, a surprisingly
biased and U.S. view, the newspaper Monterey Herald said.
The bill does not mention that the Armenians killed 613 Azerbaijanis,
including 106 women and 63 children in the town of Khojaly four
years later, after 1988. Azerbaijanis have long been trying to draw
attention to this event by making it known throughout the world,
the newspaper said.
"The question arises: why is the California Assembly by studying the
events of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict only seeing it in terms of
recognition of the Armenian losses in this conflict and why now?" the
author of the article asks.
In his opinion, the ACR 96 bill reflects the overwhelming influence
of the Armenian population of California. The document does not seek
simply to organise a day of remembrance. It is an attempt to use
the tragic events as a political game surrounding the conflict. ACR
96 provoked an angry reaction from Azerbaijani representatives in
Washington and Los Angeles, the newspaper said.
"The legislature must remain impartial and find a peaceful solution,
recognising the views of both sides" the article says.
The Armenian military forces committed genocide in Khojaly on Feb. 26,
1992. Some 613 people were killed, including 63 children, 106 women
and 70 old men. A total of 1000 civilians were left disabled during
the genocide. Eight families were annihilated, 130 children lost one
parent and 25 lost both. Additionally 1275 innocent residents were
taken hostage, while the fate of 150 remains unknown.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. -
are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.
Trend
Feb 23 2012
Azerbaijan
A resolution proposed by some members of the Californian legislative
Assembly on the day of remembrance of the Karabakh conflict on
February 27, seriously distorts the historical facts It has a
one-sided view on the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and seeks to
make California legislators take an unfair and biased position in
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict according to a letter of the President
of the Azerbaijani-American Council Ismail Rustamov to members of
the Assembly.
Several members of the California Assembly submitted a draft of
resolution (ACR 96) on January 30, which is likely to be approved
on February 27, 2012, the day when victims of Armenian pogroms in
the Azerbaijani cities of Sumgait, Ganja and Baku in 1988-1990 will
be remembered.
The draft resolution deliberately ignores the mention of the Khojaly
massacre of Azerbaijani civilians, whose anniversary will be celebrated
on February 26, 2012, Mr Rustamov wrote in a letter.
According to the Human Rights Watch, the killing of 613 civilians
including 106 women and 63 children was a mass murder of civilians
during the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.
The petition against the resolution which has more than 2500
signatures collected in two days was attached to the letter to
the congressmen. American media has already responded to the draft
resolution.
A bill introduced in the Californian Assembly describes the events in
the separatist region of Azerbaijan - Nagorno-Karabakh, a surprisingly
biased and U.S. view, the newspaper Monterey Herald said.
The bill does not mention that the Armenians killed 613 Azerbaijanis,
including 106 women and 63 children in the town of Khojaly four
years later, after 1988. Azerbaijanis have long been trying to draw
attention to this event by making it known throughout the world,
the newspaper said.
"The question arises: why is the California Assembly by studying the
events of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict only seeing it in terms of
recognition of the Armenian losses in this conflict and why now?" the
author of the article asks.
In his opinion, the ACR 96 bill reflects the overwhelming influence
of the Armenian population of California. The document does not seek
simply to organise a day of remembrance. It is an attempt to use
the tragic events as a political game surrounding the conflict. ACR
96 provoked an angry reaction from Azerbaijani representatives in
Washington and Los Angeles, the newspaper said.
"The legislature must remain impartial and find a peaceful solution,
recognising the views of both sides" the article says.
The Armenian military forces committed genocide in Khojaly on Feb. 26,
1992. Some 613 people were killed, including 63 children, 106 women
and 70 old men. A total of 1000 civilians were left disabled during
the genocide. Eight families were annihilated, 130 children lost one
parent and 25 lost both. Additionally 1275 innocent residents were
taken hostage, while the fate of 150 remains unknown.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. -
are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.