American congressman Joe Wilson makes report on January 20 tragedy

According to the Azerbaijani embassy to the United States, the congressman from South Carolina said that being a member of the Committee of Foreign Affairs, he would like to speak about the savageries committed in Baku on the night of January 20.

The congressman said the 26,000-Soviet army entered Baku to suppress the national movement of Azerbaijanis and fired at innocent civilians.

Over 130 people were murdered, 611 injured, 841 detained.

The fate of 4 missing people is not known.

"Though Mikhail Gorbachov announced emergency state in Baku, brought army to the city and tried to defend the Soviet government, this had a contrary effect.

Azerbaijani people enraged by the Russian army’s savagery on January 20 was able declare its independence a year later.

The United States opened their embassy in Azerbaijan in March of 1992,” he said.

The congressman noted that it is already 16 years that Azerbaijani nation could protect its independence, despite political and economic difficulties, dating back to the Soviet period.

He said the struggle of Azerbaijani nation for its independence and freedom aroused sympathy.

Joe Wilson is a member of the House of Representatives and the Congress Work Group on Azerbaijan.

/APA/