ARMENIAN EMBASSY TO ITALY IS ACTIVELY COUNTERACTING ANTI-ARMENIAN POLICY OF AZERBAIJAN
16:48 25/02/2014 >> SOCIETY
The Embassy of Armenia to Italy actively reacts and counteracts
Azerbaijani anti-Armenian campaign carried out in Italian Media and
within Civil Society of Italy.
In particular, the Armenian Embassy to Italy turned to Agenzia Radicale
and Notizie Geopolitiche periodicals demanding the publication of
clarifications concerning the materials previously placed in their
websites that refer to Khojalu events.
In response, the two periodicals have published the comments received
from the Embassy of Armenia to Italy, which can be viewed here
and here.
Armenian diplomats through Italian media expressed their solidarity
with the 35000 Armenian and Azerbaijani civilians who “under the
silence of International Community” became victims of the conflict.
They have noted that the articles of Italian authors that give false
understanding of Nagorno Karabakh conflict might be a result of
confusion or lack of knowledge. For this reason some clarifications
have been made about number of important issues. First and foremost
they have indicated that the media which have always showed respect
for ethics started actively to disseminate the information provided
by incumbent regime of Azerbaijan, given the fact that the regime
according to “Reporters without Borders” ranks 160 out of 180 countries
by press freedom index and 139 by political and economic freedom
index. The authors have noted that the president of that country has
been recognized as the “Most corrupt politician of 2012”.
The authors have referred to the fact that the reason why the topic of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict has been touched upon by Italian Media
was the discussion called “The protection of civilians during armed
conflicts. Khojalu case” organized by Helsinki Committee of Italy. The
address reads, “Here we encounter first contradiction. The Helsinki
Committee of Italy is in sharp contrast with other committees of the
world that condemn authoritarian and totalitarian regimes.”
What comes to factual inconsistencies, the Armenian Embassy drew
everyone’s attention to the following facts, “First and foremost
there is a mistake in the formulation of the conflict as a “conflict
between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno Karabakh sovereignty.
In fact, the main cause of the conflict is the denial of the Nagorno
Karabakh Armenians’ right to self-determination by Soviet Republic of
Azerbaijan during Soviet period,” the comment reads clarifying that
the historical Armenian populated region back in 1921 was forcefully
incorporated into Azerbaijan SSR by Stalin. The Armenians there became
subject to discrimination till 1980s when as a result of comparative
freedom local Armenians though referendum realized their right to
self-determination defined by UN Charter. The Azerbaijani authorities’
response to that action was forceful displacement and ethnic cleansing
of 450 thousand Armenians.
“On September 2, 1991 Nagorno Karabakh authorities realized their right
enshrined in the Constitution of USSR and declared Nagorno Karabakh
independent from Azerbaijan. After that Azerbaijan militarily invaded
Nagorno Karabakh. For more than a year the population of Stepanakert,
the capital of Nagorno Karabakh, was subject to Azerbaijani air
force cluster bombing and aircraft strike from “Grad” stations. In
the absence of any international intervention, in the course of the
conflict Armenia’s role was to defend civilians, provide humanitarian
aid as well as economic and diplomatic support.
Meanwhile, the self-defense forces of the Nagorno Karabakh under
the command of Defense Committee took part in military operations,”
the Armenian Embassy message reads.
The comment also highlighted, “What comes to civilian victims of
Khojalu, we have to state, that the following formulation “Azerbaijani
civilians were killed by Armenian forces” is anachronistic, which is
proved by the facts present in many Azerbaijani sources and by the
testimonies of various Western journalists who worked in the Caucasus
in early 90s. The experts who study Nagorno Karabakh conflict are well
aware that Khojalu was a weapon emplacement of Grad installations
for Azerbaijani armed forces from where the shelling of peaceful
Armenian civilians was carried out. Days before February 25, 1992
the command of Nagorno Karabakh Armenian self-defense forces informed
the Azerbaijani authorities and civilians by radio that to neutralize
the missile weapon emplacement deployed in Khojalu military operation
would be carried out. The Armenian side as well announced about the
corridor left for the evacuation of civilians.”
Then, they refer to the Azerbaijani sources and state that the resident
of Khojalu, Salman Abbasov confirms that the Armenians disseminated
the information about the corridor left for the civilians as well as
about their upcoming attack by radio. He as well confirms that the
Azerbaijani authorities forbade evacuating the civilians.
According to Azerbaijani sources Khojalu mayor knew about the attack,
he asked for helicopters but Baku authorities didn’t provide any kind
of aid. Later, the head of the Committee, engaged in the study of
the above mentioned events, deputy of Azerbaijani Parliament Ramiz
Fataliev stated that the high-profile authorities had decided not to
evacuate the civilians.
“These statements point out to the fact that the Azerbaijani civilians
were used as human shield by those same Azerbaijani authorities,”
it says and reminds the Italian journalists that such a policy is a
blatant violation of international humanitarian law, particularly of
those provisions that are designed for “the protection of victims of
international armed conflicts” in 51 Article of the First additional
Protocol of the Convention.
In this regard, an abstract of the famous interview with Ayaz
Mutalibov, who was the president of Azerbaijan at that time, is
presented. In that interview Mutalibov in fact confirms that the
incident has been organized by the opposition to topple him from power.
The representatives of Italian media have been informed by the Armenian
embassy that such kind of facts and statements can be found first of
all in Azerbaijani sources.
“In connection with this, we remind the author (Panorama.am- Italian
journalists who touched upon the issue in their previous publications)
that the journalists or human rights activists who questioned the
version presented by Azerbaijani government concerning Khojalu events
got arrested or killed,” the Armenian diplomats said mentioning the
names of Chingiz Mustafayev, Eynula Fatulaev, Elmar Huseynov.
The Armenian diplomats informed the Italian media as well as their
readers that lots of manipulations are carried out by bringing in
only half of the interview that RA president Serzh Sargsyan half a
decade ago gave to Tomas De Waal.
While turning to another reality, the facts brought by Italian
journalists about economic development and oil and gas resources
of Azerbaijan, the Armenian Embassy drew attention to the fact that
Italian journalists deliberately bypass the fact that according to
International estimates Azerbaijan in last 7 years has increased its
military spending by 2500%, an index that was characteristic only
to Nazi Germany. “This fact together with Azerbaijan’s frequent
violations of 1994 ceasefire agreement, the military rhetoric of
high-profile officials of Azerbaijan and anti-Armenian propaganda in
Azerbaijani society conducted by the authorities seriously undermine
successful outcome of the negotiations under the OSCE Minsk Group
(Russia, USA and France).
It is as well noted that Azerbaijan refuses to conduct direct
negotiations with the government of Nagorno Karabakh and unlike
Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia rejects the proposal to withdraw
snipers from the contact line and to install certain mechanisms for
investigation of ceasefire violations. “On the other side, Armenia,
unlike the government of Azerbaijan looks for peaceful settlement of
the conflict. International Community shares the same approach.”
“Armenian government’s disposition coincides with the approach of the
International Community which is reflected in the basic principles
of the conflict settlement, in the statements of the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-chairs made in L’Aquila, Muskoka, Deauville and in Enniskillen G8
and Los Cabos G20 Summits,” the comment reads and states that the Basic
Principles are founded on political will and willingness to compromise.
“Given that so many destructions and civilian deaths were caused by
the war unleashed by Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani government should
do everything possible to show more reliable commitment to the
peace process that enjoys the support of OSCE mediation group and
International Community in general. Instead of blaming the mediators
for their ineffectiveness, the Azerbaijani government should stop its
anti-Armenian campaign, simultaneously preparing its society for peace,
rather than confrontation,” it comment read; it stated also that “Peace
can be established only by those leaders who will show political will.”
It should be emphasized that those two Italian periodicals have
published the whole comment made by the Armenian Embassy.
It’s worth mentioning that in last two years there has been an increase
in the publication of materials referring to Nagorno Karabakh that
present one-sided approach in Italian media. Experts explain this
phenomenon by linking it to Azerbaijani-Italian deep cooperation in
energy sector.
Italy is one of the main importers of Azerbaijani oil as well as in the
near future it will become one of the main consumers of Azerbaijan’s
gas exported to Europe. It is expected that in the near future those
trends will show up in more severe forms. Under these circumstances
there is a growth in the number of Azerbaijani lobbyists in Italy. The
Armenian side counteracts to them only through the efforts of Armenia’s
diplomatic representation as there is no influential Armenian Community
in Italy.
Source: Panorama.am