Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 3 2007

Armenian scholar confesses in exhibition in US `Armenian monuments in
Nakhchivan’ that Momune Khatun is not Armenian monument

[ 03 Nov 2007 11:59 ]

Official opening ceremony of the exhibition `Armenian monuments in
Nakhchivan’ was held in Harvard University Davis Center for Russian
and Eurasian Studies. APA’s US bureau reports that five Azerbaijani
students Bakhtiyar Hajiyev (Harvard University), Saida Suleymanova
(Simmons College), Elvin Hajiyev, Nigar Chalabizadeh (Boston
University) and Tural Badirkhanli (Massachusetts Institute of
Technology) took necessary measures in order to reveal false Armenian
propaganda and exposed Armenian lies in the opening ceremony of the
exhibition.

Saida Suleymanova told APA that the exhibition did not arouse great
interest in the university. The attendees were mainly Azerbaijanis and
Armenians. Armenians claimed that Iosif Stalin gave Nagorno Karabakh
to Azerbaijan in 1921. But Suleymanova said she is familiar with the
original document, it does not envisage giving the region to
Azerbaijan. It confirms that the region remains as part of Azerbaijan.
Old Armenian professor Agram Ayvazyan’s response was absurd.
`You are quite right. But in fact Karabakh was given to Azerbaijan
according to this order,’ he said.
Inseparable part of Azerbaijan – Nagorno Karabakh was shown as a
`republic’ in one of the stands at the exhibition.
Though student Bakhtiyar Hajiyev said this republic does not exist and
is not recognized by the international community, James R. Russell,
Harvard University Professor of Armenian Studies said that he as an
individual recognizes Nagorno Karabakh. Azerbaijani student said he
will appeal to the university leadership concerning this issue,
Russell said that he is professor and US citizen and Bakhtiyar is a
citizen of another country and a foreign student, so he can do nothing
about it.
James R. Russell making a keynote speech in the exhibition spoke about
the etymology of Nakhchivan and Armenian monuments in Nakhchivan. He
said that Azerbaijan destructs Armenian monuments in Nakhchivan. All
his speech was against Azerbaijan and he touched upon Sumgayit events,
Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijan and Turkey’s killing Christian
Armenians and so on. He dedicated a part of his speech to facts
sounded by Hajiyev regarding Nakhchivan a day before.
Armenians have already refrained from presenting Momina Khatun tomb as
Armenian monument. Bakhtiyar Hajiyev said that he asked opinion of
Agram Ayvazyan on this issue and he said that if photo of that
monument was here, Azerbaijani students would have asked why that
monument was presented as Armenian monuments.
`His reply was that Momina Khatun is not Armenian monument and if its
photo was here today, you would ask why this monument is here. He
confessed that Momina Khatun was not Armenian monument and it remained
from Saljug period after specifying our question for several times,’
he said.
Following this, Armenians presented Khudafarin bridge as `Aza’ bridge,
Ilan Mountain as Odzasar Mountain.
Bakhtiyar Hajiyev said that few Americans attended the event. Some of
them represented teacher staff of the University. Teachers stated that
they will help Azerbaijanis to hold their exhibition regarding
Nakhchivan after witnessing simplicity of their reply, Armenians’
speaking rudely to Azeri students.
Azerbaijani Embassy in US has already sent objection letter to Davis
Center regarding the exhibition. The Embassy also presented proper
documents reflecting historical realities to the students. /APA/