Azerbaijan, Baku, April 25 /Trend/
Azerbaijani Parliament welcomed the recognition of Khojaly tragedy as genocide by the Colombian Senate. The MP Aydin Mirzazade sent a letter of appreciation to deputy chairman of Colombian Senate Juan Manuel Santos Roman for an objective decision on the matter.
"I am pleased that the Senate has given Colombia's political assessment of the genocide committed by Armenian armed forces against civilians in Khojaly town of Azerbaijan on February 26, 1992. Khojaly tragedy is the most terrible tragedy faced by the people of Azerbaijan in XX century. Today people speak about Khojali tragedy, along with such terrible tragedies as the Holocaust, My Lai, Srebrenica," said in a letter submitted to Trend on Wednesday.
Letter of appreciation also notes that before the collapse of the Soviet Union, Armenia, using the resources of the former union center, occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijani lands, turned 15 percent of the population (one million peoples) in refugees, brought great distress both to themselves and Azerbaijan. A lot of acts such as the Khojaly tragedy were made during the war. At the present time the occupation continues, despite the achievement of the ceasefire, and the perpetrators of Khojaly tragedy has not yet suffered the deserved punishment.
"Objective assessment of painful problem for Azerbaijan by the Colombian Parliament is a step worthy of respect. Azerbaijani society has taken your decision with a sense of gratitude. We believe that this move opens a new page in relations between Azerbaijan and Colombia, and Colombia gets a new friend in the face of Azerbaijan. I will make a proposal to establish a friendship group with the Parliament of Colombia on the next meeting of the Parliament of Azerbaijan. I have already considered myself as member of this group," noted in the letter.