INTERNATIONAL BODIES NEED TO BE PROACTIVE IN NOGORNA-KARABAKH CONFLICT
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia General News
April 22, 2008 Tuesday
International bodies such as the United Nations and the Organisation
of Islamic Conference (OIC) need to be more proactive to help resolve
the prolonged Nogorna-Karabakh conflict, a researcher said.
Komala Imranthy, who works for the Centre for Foreign Policy and
Strategic Studies of Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said although
the Nogorna-Karabakh conflict had attracted much attention from
international bodies, no concrete action was taken.
"In fact, OIC was the first to recognise our struggle. There have
been four resolutions made by the UN Security Council since 1993.
"Regrettably, all of it remain on paper. There is no action behind
these words," she told Bernama after a lecture on "War Against
Azerbaijan: Targeting Cultural Heritage" here today.
The Nogorna-Karabakh region which is close to the Armenian border is
part of Azerbaijan.
However, a conflict erupted between the two now-independent nations
since 1923 and in 1988 when Armenia began its territorial claims on
the region.
Imranthy said the invasion led to many Azerbaijan historical monuments
and artefacts being destroyed with some Arabic characters on monuments
replaced with Armenian language.
"About one million Azerbaijanis were internally displaced, following
the occupation," she said.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan Ambassador to Malaysia, Tahir Karimov said
that the conflict was not highly-publicised, perhaps because of its
non-benefits to the West.
"Partly, it is due to the fact that the West does not want to see
anything but its oil interests in Azerbaijan, and partly because of
the proud character of Azerbaijanis who do not want to talk about
their problems," he said in his speech earlier.
Located at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia,
Azerbaijan, a nation of about 8.6 million people, obtained independence
from the then-Soviet Union in October 1991.
About 96 per cent of the Azerbaijan population is Muslim.