Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 12
By Elmira Tariverdiyeva – Trend:
The United Nations Human Rights report has once again touched upon the issue arising from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict – the conflict the UN cannot help solve for over 20 years now.
Recently, the UN Human Rights Committee in its regular report expressed concern over “harassment and discrimination against members of the Armenian minority” in Azerbaijan. Moreover, the report also indicated concern over Azerbaijan’s not permitting foreigners with Armenian surnames, regardless of their nationality, into the country.
But the report on Armenia has not yet been published. That report could contain information on real discrimination occurring in Armenia. Armenia is so "hospitable" that, a long time ago, it became a mono-ethnic country where no other ethnicities can survive.
Armenia’s authorities and citizens discriminate against the Armenians who had previously come from Azerbaijan due to the conflict started by Yerevan. The UN should primarily examine this discrimination, since the said Armenians became a powerless part of the Armenian society and the local authorities are making profit on them.
Armenian journalists as well as Trend have repeatedly reported about this.
As for the Armenian minority living in Azerbaijan (at least 40,000 people), I would like to ask the UN whether they have the facts proving any persecution of Armenians by the authorities in Baku?
No one has ever heard about this in the last 20 years. Then what kind of harassment is this? Armenians peacefully live in Azerbaijan, and their changing their Armenian surnames may be explained by their shame for the behavior of their historic homeland, which has been occupying the lands of their actual homeland – Azerbaijan – for over 20 years?
The UN’s non-existent report on Armenia should also include information on how the Armenians treat Azerbaijani graves and monuments as well as mosques and other religious sites left in the occupied territories – they have been destructed and desecrated by Armenians.
This is while there is an Armenian church in the center of Baku, restored by Azerbaijan. At least this fact proves that accusations of "discrimination" against Armenians in Azerbaijan are false.
Recently, a lot of Armenians have freely crossed the Azerbaijani border. But, Azerbaijan’s vigilance towards the persons with Armenian surnames can be justified on grounds of national security, as we must not forget that Armenia is an occupant that does not shun any means and threats against Azerbaijan.
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Elmira Tariverdiyeva is the head of Trend Agency’s Russian news service