Terrorism, integral part of Armenia's state policy
By Sara Rajabova
Terrorism is an integral part of Armenia's national policy, and the country is among the main supporters of terrorism.
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hikmet Hajiyev made the remark in reaction to recent statements by Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian. Nalbandian, who as always tried to mislead the international community, claimed that Azerbaijan recruited mercenaries from international terrorist groups during Karabakh war.
"Since the late 80's, as a result of direct support of Armenia's special services, more than 30 terrorist acts have been carried out against Azerbaijan," Hajiyev said, adding that investigations proved Armenia's secret service was behind the events.
Hajiyev said Armenia was the country that started the terror in subways, by staging the terror acts of March 19 and July 3 in Baku, which were also organized by the country's special service.
As a result of an explosion in the subway station "January 20" of Baku on March 19, 1994, 14 people were killed and 49 others wounded. It was proved that this terrorist act was arranged by the special services of Armenia and committed by members of the separatist Lezghi organization Sadval. 13 people were killed and 42 people injured on July 3, 1994 as a result of an explosion between the subway stations "May 28" and "Genjlik" in Baku.
Hajiyev said 20 years on, similar attacks were carried out in Madrid and London undergrounds.
"Armenia is the only country in the world that proclaimed war criminal and fascist "General Dro" (Drastamat Kanayan) and terrorist Monte Melkonian as national heroes," Hajiyev said, adding that there are even monuments built in Yerevan, dedicated to these people.
Hajiyev went on to note that in the global fight against terrorism, "Armenian terrorism" and its "method of operation" are studied as a separate sphere.
"Armenia's foreign minister, who talks about history, needs to recall Armenians' dashnak terorrism, which began in XIX century, tsarist Russia's order of June 12, 1903, as well as the terror acts of the ASALA organization, which is part of the world terror, and which has merged with Armenian special service," Hajiyev said.
He also added that even now, Azerbaijan is suffering from Armenia's terror, carried out on a state level.
"The world community appreciates Azerbaijan's contribution to fight against international terrorism," Hajiyev said.
Since late 1980s, Armenian terrorist organizations, functioning in various countries of the world, began a constant and horrible war against Azerbaijan with the financial support of Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora. To spread horror among the population and to achieve great casualties during the occupation of Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh territory and the adjoining seven administrative regions, the Armenian special intelligence services organized and committed terrorist actions in locations populated by peaceful Azerbaijanis far from the territories where the battles were waged, and as a result hundreds of innocent people were killed and wounded.
Armenia occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions, after laying territorial claims against its South Caucasus neighbor that caused a brutal war in the early 1990s. Long-standing efforts by U.S, Russian and French mediators have been largely fruitless so far.
As a result of the military aggression of Armenia, over 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed, 4,866 are reported missing and almost 100,000 were injured, and 50,000 were disabled.
The UN Security Council has passed four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal from the Azerbaijani territory, but they have not been enforced to this day.