Honduras joins nations recognizing occupation of Azerbaijani lands and Khojaly genocide
By Sara Rajabova
Honduras has officially joined the counties which recognize occupation of Azerbaijan's lands and Khojally genocide.
The recognition came after the National Congress of Honduras signed a document condemning the Armenian forces for occupying parts of Azerbaijan's lands and committing Khojaly genocide.
The document said Armenia began its expansion policy by occupying Azerbaijani lands before and after declaration of its independence.
Taking advantages of the instability caused by the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, the Armenian government intensified its expansion policy by launching military operations in order to occupy Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and seven adjacent regions, according to the document.
It also underlined that the conflict displaced over 1 million people and resulted in the Khojaly genocide and other massacres against the people of Azerbaijan.
In 1992, the town of Khojaly, the second largest town in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, came under intense fire from the towns of Khankendi and Askeran already occupied by the Armenian armed forces.
613 civilians including 106 women, 70 elderly, and 83 children were killed in the massacre, and a total of 1,000 civilians were disabled. Eight families were exterminated, 25 children lost both their parents, and 130 children lost one parent.
The document, adopted in January, was approved by the president and secretaries of the Congress.
The document came into force and became a law after its approval by the President and Foreign Minister of Honduras, and after its publication in the official The Gazette newspaper on February 13.
The law noted that the occupation of the Azerbaijani lands by Armenia resulted in violation of fundamental principles of international law and mass displacement of Azerbaijani population. It added that such violations can be considered a crime against humanity and pose a threat to international peace and security.
"Although 21 years have passed since the adoption of the four UN Security Council resolutions demanding immediate withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied Azerbaijani lands, the conflict is still going on and the Armenian government disregards the UN demands," the document noted.
The document accused the Armenian government of aggressive acts, occupation of the Azerbaijani lands and crimes against civilians.
It also voiced solidarity with the government of Azerbaijan in regard to Armenia`s actions.
Furthermore, the document urged the organizations responsible for ensuring international peace and security to take decisive measures to improve the status-quo.
The Honduras government called for restoration of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, ensuring population`s security and right to return to their native lands.
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 US, 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, 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.