Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry issues statement on 25th anniversary of occupation of Gubadly
By Trend
Spokesman of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hikmat Hajiyev issued a statement in connection with the 25th anniversary of the occupation of Azerbaijan's Gubadly district.
"On August 31, 1993, as a continuation of the military
aggression of the Republic of Armenia against the Republic of
Azerbaijan, the Gubadly district, located outside the former
Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region of Azerbaijan, was occupied by
the armed forces of Armenia," Hajiyev said.
"During the occupation of the Gubadly district with an area of 802
sq. km. and a population of about 30,000 inhabitants living in 1
town and 93 villages as for 1993, 192 people were killed, 238 were
injured and 49 were tortured and taken hostage. The residents of
Gubadly were subjected to total ethnic cleansing and the state and
private property were plundered. Among them, there were 7278
individual houses and apartments, 64 administrative buildings, 148
social facilities, 161 cultural facilities, including 3 museums and
more than 50 historical monuments. Currently, around 41,000
residents of the Gubadly district live in Sumgayit and other
regions of Azerbaijan as IDPs.
"As in other occupied territories, in the Gubadly district as well,
Armenia carries out the policy to plunder, falsify, vandalize and
change the characteristics of cultural-historic heritage of
Azerbaijani people. In this regard, the archaeological site of the
residential area in the ancient part of Gubadly town, two castles
in the village of Aliguluushaghy and the castle in Muradkhanly
village of the Late Bronze-Early Iron Ages, the medieval Caucasian
Albanian temple in the village of Basharat, the 14th century
cemetery and Javanshir tomb in Yazy field near the village of
Gayaly, two tombs of 13-14th centuries in the village of
Damirchilar, numerous mosques in different villages, Gubadly Museum
of History with three thousand exhibits and other monuments have
been subject to destruction and looting.
"The Republic of Armenia, grossly violating the obligations under
the Geneva Conventions, continues to commit such unlawful acts as
the change of geographical names in the Gubadly district, the
looting of property there and settling the persons of Armenian
origin. To this end, the settlement of the Armenians from Syria in
Khanlyg village of the Gubadly district carried out by the
Tufenkian Foundation is a vivid example.
"The United Nation’s Security Council resolution 884 city of
Horadiz of the Republic of Azerbaijan and expressed serious concern
over the humanitarian emergency on Azerbaijan’s southern frontier,
including the city of Horadiz, and the expulsion of a large number
of civilians from their places of permanent residence. The
resolution demanded the withdrawal of the occupation forces
unilaterally from the city of Horadiz and other occupied
territories of Azerbaijan in accordance with the "Adjusted
timetable of urgent steps to implement Security Council resolutions
822 (1993) and 853 (1993)". Although the UN Security Council
resolutions contain an unequivocal demand for the withdrawal of the
occupation forces, Armenia has not complied with these demands
"In the resolutions 874 (1993) and 884 (1993) adopted by the United
Nations Security Council after the occupation of Gubadly, strongly
condemned the occupation of the territories of the Republic of
Azerbaijan and expressed serious concern over the humanitarian
emergency on Azerbaijan’s southern frontier, and the expulsion of a
large number of civilians from their places of permanent residence.
Both resolutions demanded the withdrawal of the occupation forces
unilaterally from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan in
accordance with the "Adjusted timetable of urgent steps to
implement Security Council resolutions 822 (1993) and 853 (1993)".
However, Armenia refrains from implementing the demands of
UNSCR.
"The occupation of Azerbaijani territories can never lead to
political results pursued by Armenia. Only the withdrawal of the
Armenian troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and the
change the status quo of occupation can open the way for a
political settlement of the conflict, comprehensive regional
cooperation and contribute to ensuring sustainable peace.
"The Azerbaijani side, supporting the intensification of
international efforts for soonest resolution of the conflict,
retains the right to restore its territorial integrity and
sovereignty within the internationally recognized borders and the
violated rights of its citizens."