BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28
By Vugar Imanov - Trend:
The unity of power and people has become one of the main factors of Azerbaijan's victory in the 44-day Second Karabakh War [from late Sept. to early Nov. 2020], Archpriest Konstantin Pominov, spokesman for the Baku and Azerbaijan Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, said in an interview with Trend.
On September 27 - the Remembrance Day, all the churches of Azerbaijan - in Baku, Ganja, Sumgayit, and Khachmaz cities honored the memory of the participants of the war, who gave their lives for liberating the country from the Armenian occupation [during the war].
"The victory in the Second Karabakh War is a very joyful event since Azerbaijan has restored its territorial integrity, but it also reflects the bitterness of losses, because young officers and soldiers died, giving their lives for their homeland,” Pominov said. “Their feat was not in vain because thanks to this, Azerbaijan returned Karabakh. Their sacrifices allowed Azerbaijan to return their ancestral lands, and the country will have a wonderful future, and, of course, we pray for the repose of their souls."
"The nationality or religion of these people doesn’t matter to us, because the Gospel says, that there is no more love than if someone laid down his soul for his friends and loved ones, and these heroes gave their lives not only for their loved ones but also for all citizens of the country, for their land and homeland," he added.
The spokesman reminded the traditions of tolerance and multiculturalism in Azerbaijan, where all citizens live as one family, and that during the Second Karabakh War, everyone stood up to defend their native land from the Armenian aggression.
"The unity of the people bears fruit. During the years of Azerbaijan's independence, there hasn’t been any interethnic or inter-confessional conflict. Azerbaijan lives in peace, the country has an atmosphere of friendship and good-neighborliness between representatives of all nationalities and religions. At the state and spiritual level, there are very good relations between all communities of the country," Pominov further said. "We all remember well how a year ago all citizens, regardless of nationality and religion, rose to defend their native land from aggressors. There were huge lines of volunteers in the military registration and enlistment offices. Servicemen of the Azerbaijani army fought to the last drop of blood, defending their native land."
He also reminded that during the First Karabakh War [in the 1990s] many Russian, Orthodox Christians fought for their Motherland - Azerbaijan. Among them were Yuri Kovalev and Igor Makeyev, who became National Heroes of Azerbaijan. In the Second Karabakh War, Denis Pronin and Dmitry Solntsev were killed, and other heroes were awarded military medals.
"The martyrs, regardless of nationality and religion, all those who gave their lives for the Motherland will live in our hearts forever. We’ll always pray for the peace of their souls, and they will be an example for today's youth and future generations. The memory about the martyrs - heroes of the Second Karabakh War will live forever," stressed Pominov.
Following over a month of military action to liberate its territories from Armenian occupation from late Sept. to early Nov. 2020, Azerbaijan has pushed Armenia to sign the surrender document. A joint statement on the matter was made by the Azerbaijani president, Armenia's PM, and the president of Russia.
A complete ceasefire and a cessation of all hostilities in the zone of the Karabakh conflict were introduced on Nov. 10, 2020.
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, the Armenian Armed Forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.