Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 23
Trend:
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited Los Angeles on September 22 and addressed a public rally organized by the local Armenian community.
The same day, airplanes carrying a banner reading “Karabakh is Azerbaijan! End the Occupation” were flown all over Los Angeles, informing a large number of the city residents about the brutal occupation and ethnic cleansing Armenia committed against Azerbaijan and its civilian population.
Banners soaring in the sky over Los Angeles during the day aroused interest among local residents, Trend reports referring to the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles.
Moreover, trucks displaying banners on the truth about the realities of Karabakh were driven around various parts of Los Angeles and informed citizens about the aggressive policy of Armenia. The posters presented information on the occupation of 20 percent of the territory of Azerbaijan, about a million Azerbaijanis who became IDPs and refugees, about vandalism against the cultural monuments of Azerbaijan committed in the occupied territories, and the Khojaly genocide, among other things.
On the eve of the aforementioned visit, Consul General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles Nasimi Aghayev sent letters to the city authorities protesting the visit of the prime minister of Armenia, which continues the policy of occupation against Azerbaijan.
Moreover, Pashinyan’s visit to Los Angeles was criticized in the US media. As such, the Los Angeles-published Jewish Journal, the largest Jewish publication in the US, and the NewzBlaze newspaper published articles on the topic. The articles noted the unacceptability of the visit to Los Angeles of the prime minister of a criminal country which pursues an aggressive policy against a neighboring country, continues to grossly violate all international rights, declares Nazi generals its national heroes, and in which anti-Semitism is widespread.
Articles were distributed on social networks, and ordinary Americans sharply criticized the visit of Pashinyan.
Los Angeles is home to the largest Armenian community in the US, where half a million Armenians reside.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.