PAKISTANI NEWSPAPER "THE PATRIOT": ARMENIA MUST LIBERATE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES OF AZERBAIJAN
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Dec 13 2006
An article concerning Armenian invasion of Azeri territories has
been published in newspaper "The Patriot" in Pakistan. "Armenia must
liberate occupied territories of Azerbaijan" by Nergiz Malik presents
facts that Karabakh belongs to Azerbaijan and Armenia has occupied it,
APA reports.
The article notes that Upper and Lower Karabakh always belonged to
Azerbaijani states through the history.
"The notion of Karabakh emerged in north part of Azerbaijan in 4th
century B.C and was a part of Caucasus Albania till 8th century",
the article writes.
The author noted that Russian imperia used religion to its interests.
On this purpose, Russia subordinated the independent Alban church to
Armenian Grigoryan church. So the Christian people of Albania were
obliged to join Armenian Church.
"Russia attached Lenkeran, Baku, Guba, Derbend, Nakchivan and Irevan
khanates to its territory. Russia wanted to place Armenians as a buffer
to the khanates fighting for independence. Russian imperia deported 130
thousand of Armenians from Iran and Turkey to Azerbaijan in 1828-1830
according to Turkmenchay agreement. 50 thousand of them were settled
in Karabakh. The notion of "Armenia" did not mean territory when
Russia invaded Azerbaijan. Armenians were known as a community among
Muslims of Azeri khanates. But Russia called the invaded territories
"Armenian province" after the agreement.
"Armenian province" was replaced with Yerevan governorship according
to the new administrative territory division in 1849. Between 1878
and 1914, more 500 thousand Armenians were deported to Azerbaijan.
February and October revolutions in Russia were the beginning of a
new stage for "Armenian issue". Council of People Commissars adopted
a law "Turkish Armenia to decide self-termination" signed by Lenin and
Stalin. Armenian territory included Ichmedzin, Aleksandropol and Yeni
Beyazid that half of people were Azerbaijanis. Armenian government
headed by Dashnaktsutyune demanded Nakchivan, Zengezur and Karabakh
territories and that caused a war between Azerbaijan and Armenia in
1918-1920. Russian Communist Party Central Committee Caucasus Bureau
adopted the following laws on June 5, 1921: "Considering national peace
between Muslims and Armenians, economical relations between Upper and
Lower Karabakh and permanent relations between Karabakh and Azerbaijan,
Nagorno Karabakh will remain in Azerbaijan SSR territory and Nagorno
Karabakh will be large autonomy, centre Shusha". Azerbaijan SSR was
included in USSR in 1922", the author wrote.
She also noted that near 1 million Azerbaijanis were deported from
Nagorno Karabakh in 1988-89. Khojali genocide and Armenian violence
of international laws are also mentioned in the article. She also
noted that the negotiations to settle the conflict are continuing.