Azerbaijani FM in wide efforts to get fair assessment for Khojaly genocide

Azerbaijan is exerting great effort in its quest to have the Khojaly genocide recognized by the international community, spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Elman Abdullayev said at a briefing today.

"We have witnessed the expansion of efforts towards the recognition of the Khojaly genocide by the world community," he said. "Yerevan is trying to hide its involvement in the Khojaly tragedy. But today great efforts are being exerted to get the genocide recognized by the world community."

He said that Armenia itself is well aware that it will fail to escape responsibility for these acts, genocide, which killed hundreds of Azerbaijani civilians.

"The resolutions on the recognition adopted in the state of Arkansas and the Romanian Parliament demonstrate that the international community has begun to understand the situation," he said. "The Foreign Ministry will continue exerting its efforts until the international community gives political and legal assessment of Khojaly events."

On Feb. 25-26 February, 1992, Armenian occupation forces together with the 366th infantry regiment of Soviet troops stationed in Khankendi (earlier Stepanakert) fired on the Azerbaijani town of Khojali that had been under siege for months when in one night the town was razed to the ground. Some 613 people were killed including 63 children, 106 women and 70 old men. A total of 1000 civilians were disabled during the genocide. Eight families were killed, 130 children lost one parent and 25 lost both. Additionally, 1275 innocent residents were taken hostage, while the fate of 150 remains unknown.


/Trend/