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Qabil Ashirov

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Despite all noises caused by Armenian propaganda, the residents of the Azerbaijani territories that are under the control of separatists are interested in the integration process initiated by Baku. The hotline (+994 70 277 99 11) created to support the Armenian minority unveils the reality which the Armenian side and the mouthpiece try to hide.

It is worth noting that Azerbaijan is a country where dozens of different ethnic groups live in peace and prosperity. Throughout history, Azerbaijan has been a beacon of hope for nations subjected to oppression and braced those who tried to take shelter. The newcomers mixed and mingled with locals and enriched Azerbaijan with their culture, cuisine, and so on. Unfortunately, one of the newcomers, more precisely Armenians, did not remain true to this tradition and caused brutal wars in the region. Azerbaijan braced this ethnic group who were brought to the country after 1813 by Russia, as it did for others. However, when the number of Armenians increased in the region they betrayed Azerbaijan and other ethnic groups living in these territories. Hayk expelled native people from their hometowns and tried illegally to appropriate their properties. Of course, Azerbaijan could not have tolerated such kind of betrayal, and due to Armenian expansionist foreign policy, the region has witnessed two bloody wars only in the last 30 years.

However, besides the Armenian irrational policy, Azerbaijan does its best to protect all civilians, including Armenians living within the border. Regarding to it, the hotline was created recently to protect the Armenian minority living in Azerbaijan’s territory under the control of separatists. Speaking to AZERNEWS on the issue, Dilara Afandiyeva, head of the Azerbaijan Women's Rights Protection Society named after Dilara Aliyeva, noted that the initiative of creating a hotline emerged during the protest of Azerbaijan eco-activists.

“The initiative to create a hotline emerged in the first days of the meeting (actions) of Azerbaijani ecologists on the Lachin-Khankendi road when the Russian peacekeepers closed the road and we understood that [Azerbaijani] citizens of Armenian origin living in the area where the Russian Peacekeepers were deployed would face certain humanitarian problems,” she said.

Dilara Afandiyeva said that on the first day of announcing the number of the phone, the hotline received calls both from the residents of the region and Armenians living in different countries in the world. The main questions were about the purpose of the action. Besides, she noted that there was a large quantity of insulting, threatening, insinuating, and accusing Azerbaijan of aggression and so on.

“Further, the character of these calls changed. Armenians started thinking about their further fate, the possibility of integration into Azerbaijani society, getting Azerbaijani citizenship, and also the possibility of movement through the closed section of the road,” she said.

As for the theme of complaint, Dilara Afandiyeva commented that the Armenian minority generally complains from separatists and Russian Peacekeepers. She also mentioned that the separatists in Khankendi take advantage of the situation for filling their pockets as well.

“There were very many complaints over the action of the Russian Peacekeepers and the action of the Armenian Armed Groups situated in the region. People complained about oppression, complained about artificial price hike of basic products in the first days, and about bribes that were required from them for permission to cross the border,” she added.

Dilara Aliyeva mentioned that despite the calls revealed that residents of Khankendi are interested in the integration process initiated by Baku. She noted that recently the hotline received many calls asking questions about the integration and the fate of people partaken in the two wars against Azerbaijan.

“Questions recently related directly to the possibility of obtaining Azerbaijani citizenship and ensuring their rights and security. Also, there were questions relating to the operation of the Armenian Church and the possibility to perform religious church rituals. Besides, there were questions relating to the fates of people partaking in the wars, the First Garabagh War and the 44-day War, against Azerbaijan. One of the people who called the hotline confessed that he had directly taken part in the battles and what awaits him,” Afandiyeva undelined.

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Qabil Ashirov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @g_Ashirov

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