Azernews.Az

By Jamila Babayeva

The Khojaly genocide was not a coincidence, it was a part of the unjust and dirty game of Armenia not only against Azerbaijani Turks, but also against the entire Turkic world, Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister said.

Ali Hasanov made the statement during his speech at an international conference on the occasion of the 22nd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide on February 24.

"This process has been going on for almost 200 years," he said.

The global community is well informed about the Khojaly tragedy thanks to the 'Justice for Khojaly' campaign, Hasanov added.

He said thanks to this campaign, monuments have been set up to commemorate the Khojaly genocide victims in a number of countries that have recognized this genocide.

Hasanov said Armenians committed crimes in Khojaly using the same methods that they used 100 years ago.

"If not stopped in time, Armenians will make claims against France sooner or later, too," he stressed.

Hasanov further noted that the OSCE Minsk Group, which is engaged in settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, will not be able to achieve a solution to this problem with its methods.

"Mediators are making efforts, but we are not sure of their sincerity. If crimes are committed against our citizens, then why international organizations and states, which talk about democracy all the time, are now silent? Why the OSCE and other international organizations do not force Armenia to comply with the UN resolutions on liberation of Azerbaijan's occupied territories?" Hasanov said.

"Let them not think that the patience of Azerbaijani people is unlimited. Azerbaijan's army is ready today to liberate the occupied territories. The patience of Azerbaijani people can run out at any time, and it will not only liberate the lands that have been under occupation for 20 years, but will also liberate the territories occupied 100 years ago".

Hasanov also noted currently the damage inflicted to Azerbaijan by Armenia is being calculated on the international level, and the damage has already exceeded $300 billion.

"When the counting is completed Azerbaijan will require compensation from Armenia," he added.

Azerbaijan's Military Prosecutor's Office has adopted a decision to institute criminal proceedings against 39 perpetrators of the Khojaly genocide.

In the same conference, Military Prosecutor, Deputy Prosecutor, General Khanlar Veliyev said "There are not only Armenians, but also servicemen of the 366th infantry regiment of Soviet troops among these people."

Veliyev added that the prosecutor's office had conducted a three-way investigation since 1988 in connection with the genocides, crimes and deportations committed by the Armenian Armed Forces against Azerbaijan.

"The first direction relates to crimes committed against the Azerbaijani nation in Khojaly, Meshali, Garadagli and other settlements. The second direction is for crimes committed by Armenians in vehicles, including in the subway and other places and the third direction is for crimes relating to captives and hostages," he said.

Veliyev noted that to date, 2,089 people guilty of committing these crimes have been identified.

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 mostly women and children were killed in the massacre, and a total of 1,000 people were disabled. Eight families were exterminated, 25 children lost both parents, and 130 children lost one parent.

Moreover, 1,275 innocent people were taken hostage, and the fate of 150 of them remains unknown. Civilians were shot at close range, scalped, and burned alive. Some had their eyes gouged out and others were beheaded.