EuroNews airs unbiased report on Garabagh
EuroNews, an influential European TV channel, on
Monday broadcast a program on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper
(Nagorno) Garabagh conflict that reflected upon the suffering of
Azerbaijanis in the aftermath of the 1990s war. The move follows an
earlier broadcast that sparked outcry in Azerbaijan.
The eight-minute footage, entitled "Upper Garabagh: Azerbaijan’s refugee camps", says that as a consequence of the dispute, 700,000 Azerbaijanis were ousted from Upper Garabagh and other occupied districts, and up to 350,000 Armenians were driven out of Azerbaijan.
In its account of the long-standing conflict’s history, EuroNews notes that the Armenian population of Upper Garabagh had declared an "independent" republic in the Azerbaijani region, which has not been internationally recognized. It emphasizes that a part of Azerbaijan’s territory, including Upper Garabagh and seven adjacent districts, is currently under the Armenian armed forces’ control. The UN Security Council’s four resolutions demanding an unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian occupying forces from the Azerbaijani territory have not yet been enforced, and the OSCE Minsk Group-brokered peace talks remain fruitless.
EuroNews showed footage of Azerbaijanis being ousted from the Kalbajar district during the Armenian invasion of the region in 1993, Azerbaijani villages devastated during the Garabagh war, and the aggravating living conditions of IDPs.
The TV channel said that the Azerbaijani refugees have been moved to new settlements from make-shift tent camps, and their living standards have improved, but said the displaced persons remain downhearted. The IDPs indicated in their interviews that they were content with the conditions provided by the government but longed for returning to their native land.
EuroNews reported that the IDPs in Azerbaijan are among the best-provided refugees in the world.
The IDPs noted that many countries are unfortunately supporting aggressor Armenia while the displaced persons’ just voices are falling on deaf ears. IDP women said they were unable to forget the horrible scenes of the Khojaly massacre unleashed upon unarmed civilians by the Armenian forces in 1992 and that they were raising their kids in the spirit of patriotism.
The program also featured an interview with an Armenian woman who married an Azerbaijani. She said she has always witnessed kind attitude from Azerbaijanis, without facing any pressure at all.
Earlier, on November 28, EuroNews broadcast a report, "Upper Garabagh: a wind of change", which gave a biased assessment of the war fought by Armenia and Azerbaijan in the early 1990s. It regarded the self-proclaimed Upper Garabagh republic as "an independent state" while separatist leader Bako Saakian was presented as ‘Upper Garabagh’s president." The report went as far as describing Upper Garabagh as "the heart of Armenia." After a stern response from Azerbaijani officials, the broadcaster pledged that its reporters would soon prepare a report covering the Azerbaijani refugees.
Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a cease-fire in 1994, but Armenia continues to occupy Upper Garabagh and seven other Azerbaijani districts in defiance of international law. Despite numerous rounds of OSCE-brokered negotiations, peace talks have been fruitless so far and refugees remain stranded.*
The eight-minute footage, entitled "Upper Garabagh: Azerbaijan’s refugee camps", says that as a consequence of the dispute, 700,000 Azerbaijanis were ousted from Upper Garabagh and other occupied districts, and up to 350,000 Armenians were driven out of Azerbaijan.
In its account of the long-standing conflict’s history, EuroNews notes that the Armenian population of Upper Garabagh had declared an "independent" republic in the Azerbaijani region, which has not been internationally recognized. It emphasizes that a part of Azerbaijan’s territory, including Upper Garabagh and seven adjacent districts, is currently under the Armenian armed forces’ control. The UN Security Council’s four resolutions demanding an unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian occupying forces from the Azerbaijani territory have not yet been enforced, and the OSCE Minsk Group-brokered peace talks remain fruitless.
EuroNews showed footage of Azerbaijanis being ousted from the Kalbajar district during the Armenian invasion of the region in 1993, Azerbaijani villages devastated during the Garabagh war, and the aggravating living conditions of IDPs.
The TV channel said that the Azerbaijani refugees have been moved to new settlements from make-shift tent camps, and their living standards have improved, but said the displaced persons remain downhearted. The IDPs indicated in their interviews that they were content with the conditions provided by the government but longed for returning to their native land.
EuroNews reported that the IDPs in Azerbaijan are among the best-provided refugees in the world.
The IDPs noted that many countries are unfortunately supporting aggressor Armenia while the displaced persons’ just voices are falling on deaf ears. IDP women said they were unable to forget the horrible scenes of the Khojaly massacre unleashed upon unarmed civilians by the Armenian forces in 1992 and that they were raising their kids in the spirit of patriotism.
The program also featured an interview with an Armenian woman who married an Azerbaijani. She said she has always witnessed kind attitude from Azerbaijanis, without facing any pressure at all.
Earlier, on November 28, EuroNews broadcast a report, "Upper Garabagh: a wind of change", which gave a biased assessment of the war fought by Armenia and Azerbaijan in the early 1990s. It regarded the self-proclaimed Upper Garabagh republic as "an independent state" while separatist leader Bako Saakian was presented as ‘Upper Garabagh’s president." The report went as far as describing Upper Garabagh as "the heart of Armenia." After a stern response from Azerbaijani officials, the broadcaster pledged that its reporters would soon prepare a report covering the Azerbaijani refugees.
Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a cease-fire in 1994, but Armenia continues to occupy Upper Garabagh and seven other Azerbaijani districts in defiance of international law. Despite numerous rounds of OSCE-brokered negotiations, peace talks have been fruitless so far and refugees remain stranded.*
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