Trend, Azerbaijan
March 5 2010
FM spokesman: Decision by U.S. House of Representatives committee on
foreign affairs makes regret
05.03.2010 19:24
Azerbaijan, Baku, March 5 /Trend News, U.Sadikhova/
Biased decision of the U.S. House of Representatives committee on
foreign affairs is a feeling of regret. The congressmen make a
decision around the unconfirmed events happening hundred years ago,
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Elkhan Polukhov told Trend
News.
"If this process continues, it could bring harms to measures to
restore stability and security in the region, including the tense
negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," Polukhov said.
U.S. House of Representatives committee on foreign affairs adopted the
resolution recognizing the so-called "Armenian genocide." Resolution
was adopted with 23 pros and 22 cons of congressmen.
Instead of making such subjective decisions, it would be better if the
same Congress would find the courage and assess the Armenian
aggression against Azerbaijan, which began 20 years ago, the crimes
committed against Azerbaijanis through the occupation and ethnic
cleansing, expelling million refugees and internally displaced persons
from their homes, said the Foreign Ministry spokesman.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are
currently holding the peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the
occupied territories.
"All these events have been proven in the international community, and
living witnesses are still waiting for justice. I hope that the
decision of the committee on foreign affairs will not gain support in
Congress and it will not be adopted," said Polukhov.