ARMENIANS MUST BE GIVEN RIGHT TO VISIT GRAVES OF THEIR RELATIVES IN AZERBAIJAN

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
10.07.2009 13:41 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Mutual visits can’t even be discussed, as until
now, any ethnic Armenian who arrived in Baku was sent back right out
of airport, regardless the person’s citizenship," South Caucasian
region expert, Arsen Melik-Shahnazarov told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter
in Stepanakert.

He reminded that European symphonic orchestra musician and a young
Bulgarian chess-player were announced as personae non gratae in
Baku. Among them, even a scientist from Yaroslavl, born in Baku,
Alexander Aghamov who was a Head of Russian Oncologists’ Delegation
bound for Baku. "All these people were refused from visiting Baku,
as their origin was doubted in Azeri capital. Still, they had no
indications as to their nationality in their passports, which means
Azeri special services were detecting their origin beforehand, based
on indirect indications," the expert noted.

Considering highly intolerant attitude of Azerbaijan, Melik-Shahnazarov
is bewildered, "Why then, people like Bulbuloglu, a representative
of intellectual elite at Azeragitprop, the one who’s repeatedly
discredited himself as a peacemaker, should walk over Artsakh soil,
imbued with the Armenian blood? What’s the sense behind shamanistic
rituals of racism and hatred promoters in long suffering Shushi? A
city, where Armenian population was first exterminated and banished,
and then fully estranged from its native country by chicanery of
"intellectuals" to which Bulbuloglu’s forefathers and companions
belonged?," Arsen Melik-Shahnazarov questioned.

"The current visit was more propagandistic and provided Azerbaijan with
an opportunity to trumpet the meeting of Azeris with the ‘Armenian
community of Karabakh’. Although it sounds as senseless as ‘Azeri
community of Azerbaijani Republic’, a tiny move has been made. So,
participation of ‘Azeri community of NK’ in International Alert
meeting has been already discussed," he said.

Melik-Shahnazarov welcomed Karabakh NGOs’ decision to refuse
participation in "untalented shows financed by British Petroleum"
and voiced hope that Armenian NGOs will do the same.

As to the possibility for Azeri citizens to attend cemeteries in
Nagorno Karabakh, it could be real on two conditions, according
to him. "First, Armenians should be allowed to attend cemeteries
in Shahumyan, Getashen and Northern Artsakh. Second, Azeri citizens
should have their passports stamped upon arrival in Nagorno Karabakh,"
Melik-Shahnazarov said.