Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry on Anniversary of Occupation of Shusha

Baku / 07.05.18 / Turan: The occupation of Shusha is an integral part of the systematic aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan and its occupation policy. This was stated by the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hikmet Hajiyev on the occasion of the 26th anniversary of the occupation of the city of Shusha.

As a result of this policy, the Armenian Armed Forces occupied the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and seven adjacent areas. In the occupied territories, about 1 million Azerbaijanis were subjected to ethnic cleansing. During the war, Armenia committed war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Hajiyev especially noted the historical, cultural and spiritual significance of Shusha for the Azerbaijani people. Shusha is considered to be the "cradle of Azerbaijani music" and "Conservatory of the East" and its occupation caused a serious blow to the material, cultural and spiritual heritage of the Azerbaijani people.

Within the framework of the purposeful policy of Armenia to destroy the material, cultural and religious monuments of Azerbaijan, more than 170 houses considered architectural monuments, and about 160 cultural and historical monuments were destroyed only in Shusha. Prayer houses were demolished and mosques were desecrated and vandalized. The Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is under temporary occupation, has always been and will be an integral part of Azerbaijan, Hajiyev further stated.

The UN Security Council adopted resolutions 822 (1993), 853 (1993), 874 (1993) and 884 (1993), which condemn the occupation of territories and recognize the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. The Security Council confirmed that Nagorno-Karabakh is a part of Azerbaijan and demanded the complete, immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all occupying troops from the Azerbaijani territories. -06D--