FM: September 27 turning point in Azerbaijan’s history
By Ayya Lmahamad
Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has described September 27, 2020, as a turning point in Azerbaijan's history.
He made the remarks at a meeting of the Turkic Council foreign ministers.
“On that day, in response to Armenian provocations, Azerbaijan launched a counter-offensive operation using its right to self-defence,” Bayramov stated.
The minister emphasized that the 30-year Armenian occupation of the Azerbaijani territories ended within 44 days.
He stressed that Azerbaijan highly appreciates the solidarity shown by the Turkic Council members states during the 44-day Second Karabakh War, and during the post-war rehabilitation on the liberated lands.
Bayramov also invited the meeting participants to honor the memory of the martyrs of the Second Karabakh War with a minute of silence.
Thus, the memory of Azerbaijani martyrs was honored with a minute of silence at the meeting.
Moreover, addressing the meeting Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu noted that today marks the anniversary of the start of the 44-day war, as a result of which the country’s territories were liberated from occupation.
“We respectfully honor the memory of the martyrs of Azerbaijan, who gave their lives for their motherland,” said Cavusoglu.
As a sign of deep respect for the soldiers and officers who gave their lives for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, September 27 is marked as Remembrance Day under President Ilham Aliyev's relevant decree. The decree was signed on December 2, 2020.
A number of events are planned to be held on Remembrance Day. The memory of the martyrs has been honored in the religious sites operating in Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani public visits the graves of martyrs in the second Honorary Alley in Baku and offers prayers for their souls.
The streets of Baku are decorated with Azerbaijani flags on Remembrance Day. In addition, Azerbaijan's national flag will be projected on a number of buildings, including the Heydar Aliyev Center and the Flame Towers in the evening. The Heydar Aliyev Foundation's public association Regional Development will hold commemorative events.
A Moscow-brokered ceasefire deal that Baku and Yerevan signed on November 10, 2020, brought an end to six weeks of fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani army declared a victory against the Armenian troops. The signed agreement obliged Armenia to withdraw its troops from the Azerbaijani lands that it has occupied since the early 1990s.
The peace agreement stipulated the return of Azerbaijan's Armenian-occupied Kalbajar, Aghdam and Lachin regions and withdraw its troops from the Azerbaijani lands that it has occupied since the early 1990s. Before the signing of the deal, the Azerbaijani army had liberated around 300 villages, settlements, city centers, and historic Shusha city.
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Ayya Lmahamad is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @AyyaLmahamad
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