Azerbaijan, Baku, March 1 / Trend /
The University of Utah in Salt Lake City held a conference marking the anniversary of the Khojali tragedy. Azerbaijani Consul General to Los Angeles Elin Suleymanov, University of Chicago Professor Holly Shisler, Tennessee Technological University Professor Michael Gunter, University of Wisconsin Professor Sheila Horowitz, University of Utah Professor Hakan Yavuz, and Johns Hopkins University member David Sumbadze attended the talks on "Political and Social Origins of Ethno-Territorial Conflicts."
The speakers pointed to the danger posed by aggressive mono-ethnic nationalism to the security and future of the Caucasus. Moreover, they noted that the unresolved Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict remains a major obstacle to full integration in the region. Until a long-term peace settlement has been achieved, the tragedy will largely shape the perception of these two peoples, they said.
Armenian military forces committed genocide acts in the town of Khojali, Azerbaijan, with the population of 7,000 people on Feb. 26 1992. There were 3,000 people in the town at the time of Armenian military forces' attack. Most part of the population had to leave town during four months blockade. 613 people were killed, 1,000 peaceful people of different age became invalid during Khojali genocide. 106 women, 63 children, 70 old men were killed. 8 families were completely annihilated, 130 children lost one parents, while 25 both of them. 1,275 peace residents were taken hostages, while the fate of 150 of them is still unknown.
