Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 6
By Ilkin Kazimov - Trend:
The European Commission will consider an appeal related to the Khojaly genocide, the message of the State Committee for Work with Diaspora of Azerbaijan said March 6.
The response of the European Commission to the appeal of the Benelux Azerbaijanis Congress (BAC) from February 13, 2015 states that the appeal will be considered, according to the message. The response also states that the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker recommended EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini to consider the appeal of BAC.
On February 25-26, 1992, the Armenian armed forces, together with the 366th infantry regiment of Soviet troops stationed in Khankendi committed an act of genocide against the population of the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly.
As a result of the massacre, some 613 people were killed, including 63 children, 106 women and 70 old people. Eight families were totally exterminated, 130 children lost one parent and 25 children lost both. A total of 487 civilians became disabled as a result of the onslaught. Some 1,275 innocent residents were taken hostage, while the fate of 150 people remains unknown.
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, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.
Edited by CN