Russia, Moscow, 27 February / Trend corr R. Agayev/ The events in Khojali were the most inhuman massacre of people for just being Azerbaijanis. That was a purposeful massacre intended for intimidation in order to show the mercilessness of national cleansing. That is a tragedy to be remembered and spoken about, the Azerbaijani Ambassador to Russia Polad Bulbuloglu said 26 February at the round table on the subject of 'Crimes against Humankind in Terms of Modern International Law: Khojali Tragedy' at the Embassy in Moscow dedicated to the 16th Anniversary of the Azerbaijani genocide in Khojali.
The Ambassador noted that the events dedicated to the anniversary were taking place in over 30 countries with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. President Ilham Aliyev takes all necessary steps to inform the world community of the truth about the tragedy, he said.
" Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani people gained independence at the cost of their life. The world is not yet well aware of our tragedies, but still the Khokali tragedy is impartially covered in the world mass media. Then new generation is growing up, therefore it is important legally and morally assess events that took place in Khojali so that to avoid that kind of tragedies in the future," Bulbuloglu said.
By stating the number of the people who died as a result of the tragedy and the participation of 366th regiment of USSR in the massacre of Azerbaijani civilians where Armenian served as well, the ambassador said that the political leaders of Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani society differ USSR from Russia and today's round table aims at honouring the memory of the victims and says that Azerbaijanis will never forget it, Azerbaijani government does its best to punish the committers of the massacre so that tragedy could produce broad resonance worldwide.
Tofig Musayev, the head of the Office for Planning of Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies of Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan informed the round-table participants of the juridical and legal aspects of the tragedy and of the institutes that study the facts of genocide and crime against mankind.
He said that the current international law together with the resolutions of the international organizations and relevant conventions enables to punish the physical persons and government as well.
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry representative noted that hundred of criminal cases had been instituted as a result of operation-investigation operations held by Azerbaijani Prosecutor General Office. Furthermore, arrest warrants were issued against 31 people and they were announced on international search through Interpol.
"There are cases of disguise and negation of connection to international crimes in the international practice in definition of blame. This approach is proper to Armenia, which denies the fact of occupation of Azerbaijani territories, as well as participation in genocide and ethnic cleaning. However, Azerbaijan collected enough facts and documents which confirm the direct connection of Armenians, as well as concrete persons in the highest military forces of the country against Azerbaijan, occupation of Azerbaijani lands and committed crimes against human beings during the conflict," Musayev said.
T.Musayev cited in confirmation to committed crimes and human cynical, the words of new elected President Serzh Sargsyan from the book by British journalist Tomas de Vaal 'Black garden. Armenia and Azerbaijan is between peace and war." "To Khojali, Azerbaijanis thought that they could joke with us. They thought that Armenians were nor able to kill population. We managed to cancel this stereotype."
Irina Lalina, junior scientific member of the Institute of State and Right of Russian Science Academy, Michael Gusman, first deputy Director General of ITAR TASS, Alexander Karavayev, expert of the information-analytical centre on post-Soviet area of Moscow State University, Emin Damirchiyev, advanced student of Moscow State University on International Right specialty, Alla Yazikova, head of Centre on Study of Mediterranean and Black Sea Institute of Europe, and others expressed opinion on necessity of solving this issue on legal grounds and to inform world community about the genocide of Azerbaijanis in Khojali and Karabakh conflict.
The event included the head of the Heydar Alyev Foundation's Russia Office Leyla Aliyeva, the representatives of the Russian social, political and scientific circles, the representatives of the Azerbaijani public organizations and the youth. The book 'Khojali Genocide in Documents, Facts and Foreign Press', as well as special editions of the international magazine 'Irs-Heritage', dedicated to the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were distributed among the visitors.
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