Khojaly tragedy mulled in Hungary - PHOTOS

International experts are ready to work more closely with Azerbaijan in connection with the legal assessment of the Khojaly genocide, said the international conference "The experience of preventing genocide and mass murders - the role of international jurisdiction in the Western Balkans and South Caucasus", organized in connection with the 20th anniversary of the Khojaly genocide by Azerbaijani Embassy in Hungary together with the Foundation for the Prevention at international level of the facts of genocide and mass destruction, the Azerbaijani Embassy in Hungary told Trend on Friday.

Representatives of international organizations and prominent international law experts discussed the Khojaly tragedy at the conference.

Officials of the European Union and the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, the former UN and OSCE ambassadors, heads of diplomatic missions accredited in the country, public and political figures and journalists attended the event.

Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Hungary Vilayat Guliyev and the Foundation's director Dyord Tatar opened the conference.

The conference's participants observed a minute's silence in memory of victims of the genocides in Khojaly and Srebrenica.

Special adviser to the chief prosecutor of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia Frederick Sweeney, head of the Foreign Service of the European Union Jonas Johnson, investigator of Special Department for War Crimes of Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina Alfredo Strippoli , witness of the genocide in Srebrenica Hasan Nuhanovich and others spoke at the first part of the conference entitled "Experience and lessons learned from the Western Balkans" led by Dyord Tatar.

Professor of Ferrara University Serena Forlatti (Italy), Professor of Leicester University Paul Beyrens (UK), ombudsman Elmira Suleymanova, senior investigator of military prosecutor's office in Azerbaijan, Counselor of Justice Ulvi Akhmedov, witness of the events in Khojaly, journalist Saria Muslimgyzy spoke and expressed their opinion about the Khojaly genocide at the second part entitled "Opportunities and Challenges in the South Caucasus", which was moderated by a renowned expert on international law, academician Hamza Gabor.

Representative of the European Union Jonas Johnson, former head of the OSCE Office in Baku, Ambassador Alexander Cornelissen (the Netherlands), counsellor of the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Hungary Anar Imanov spoke at the final part of the conference entitled "Responsibility of international forces in the Western Balkans and South Caucasus" led by former Deputy Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary Endre Erdos.

Ombudsman of Hungary Mate Szabo, the Hungarian and Azerbaijani MPs, representatives of the Foreign Ministry, the special coordinator of the Youth Forum of the Islamic Cooperation and a number of other participants also spoke at the conference.

Participants of an international conference were shown a documentary on the Khojaly genocide.

At the conference recommendations were made relating to the establishment of a working group consisting of experts on international criminal law, organization of their visits to Azerbaijan, the international legal assessment of the Khojaly genocide. Several international experts have expressed readiness for closer cooperation with Azerbaijan on this issue.

It is notable that for the first time during this conference the Khojaly tragedy was discussed on a par with genocide in Srebrenica, which is recognized by the international community as a crime. The conference's participants drew parallels between the two tragedies. Also demand was voiced that perpetrators of the Khojaly genocide should be prosecuted and brought before an international court.

The Embassy intends to publish the materials of the international conference in a book titled "Khojaly - Srebrenica: the tragic parallels".

The Armenian military forces committed genocide in Khojaly on Feb.26, 1992. More than 600 people were killed, including 63 children, 106 women and 70 old men. Some 487 civilians were disabled during the genocide. In addition, 1,275 peaceful residents were taken hostage, while the fate of 150 remains unknown.


/Trend/