Shushi Anniversary Marked: Sargisian Warns Azerbaijan Against Hostile Moves

Posted on May 14, 2011 by Editor

Armenian President Serge Sargisian (right) and Karabagh President Bako
Sahakian and other leaders attend a liturgy in the Armenian cathedral
of Shushi.
SHUSHI, Karabagh (RFE/RL) – President Serge Sargisian warned Azerbaijan
against attempting to resolve the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict by force
on Monday as he visited the disputed territory to mark the 19th
anniversary of a key Armenian military victory.
`We silenced, and if need be will silence again all those fire spots
from where our children and our parents were shot,’ he said in a
written address to the nation. `However, I hope that it will not be
necessary: our troops, who are guarding peace of our Fatherland, hold
the greatest promise that it will not happen again.’

Sargisian issued the statement as he celebrated the anniversary of the
1992 capture by Karabagh Armenian forces of Shushi, Karabagh’s second
largest town that was mostly populated by Azerbaijanis. The military
operation led to the opening of a land corridor between the disputed
enclave and Armenia and thus proved crucial for the outcome of the
1991-1994 Karabagh war.

A native of Karabagh, Sargisian was one of the top commanders of
Karabagh Armenian troops that stormed and seized the strategically
important town overlooking Stepanakert on May 8-9, 1992.

Sargisian and the political leadership of Nagorno Karabagh laid
flowers at a war memorial in Stepanakert. They also attended on Sunday
a liturgy held at the Armenian cathedral of Shushi.

`Now and forever, we will be celebrating wholeheartedly our glorious
victory; this was a victory of good over evil and barbarity,’ read
Sargisian’s message. `Those who stepped into immortality on the
battlefield carry on with their great mission as a moral and political
force.’

Speaking at a news conference in Yerevan last week, the Armenian
president accused Baku of torpedoing peace talks mediated by the
United States, Russia and France and planning to start another war.

The accusations were in sharp contrast to statements made by both
Sargisian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev following their most
recent meeting that was hosted by their Russian counterpart, Dmitry
Medvedev, in early March. The Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders said
the summit brightened prospects for a peaceful Karabagh settlement.