The Khojaly massacre is one of the saddest pages in the history of the Azerbaijani people, but only a few countries have recognized what happened as genocide. Farid Shafiyev, Chairman of the Board of the Center of Analysis of International Relations, talks in an interview with NEWS.ru about why the West ignores these events and whether Baku’s victory in Karabakh will help restore justice.
What happened in Khojaly 32 years ago
What happened on the night of February 25-26, 1992 in the Karabakh town of Khojaly?
A massacre of the civilian population of Khojaly by Armenian troops happened on that night, and not only the Azerbaijani authorities, but also various organizations, including Human Rights Watch, talk about it. 613 people, including women and children, were killed in that tragedy. The Azerbaijani authorities consider these events to be genocide, as this war crime was committed on ethnic grounds.
What is the position of the Armenian authorities?
In recent years, the Armenian authorities have been talking about their intention to build a modern democratic state. At the same time, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and the Armenian leadership and media in general, deny the republic’s responsibility for the Khojaly events. But if we want to move forward in the issue of establishing relations with Yerevan, it is essential that the Armenian side acknowledge this tragedy. There is a good phrase in English, recognize to reconcile. There is not the slightest hint of this in Armenia now.
Why the West ignores the Khojaly tragedy
Earlier, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan Hikmet Hajiyev said that the Khojaly genocide had happened amid complete silence and indifference of the international community. He emphasized that it was the worst massacre of civilians in Europe after World War II. Who does Baku expect to recognize the Khojaly massacre as genocide most of all?
Azerbaijan is making great efforts in this area. Legislative bodies of about 20 countries of the world, 24 states of the USA, as well as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Organization of Turkic States have already adopted many decisions and resolutions condemning the massacre of civilians in Khojaly. However, they do not recognize this tragedy as genocide.
Of course, we most of all expect this recognition from the countries that most often speak of the value of humanitarian law. I mean France, the United States, the Netherlands, Belgium and other states. They talk a lot about the Armenian genocide, ignoring the tragedy in Khojaly. This is hardly surprising for Baku: from the very beginning of the Karabakh conflict we have seen these double standards, which persist even today.
Why are these countries so adamant on the issue of recognizing the Khojaly genocide?
They are interested in promoting Armenia as a victim country. If these states recognize Armenia as the guilty party in the tragedy, the image of “long-suffering” Yerevan will collapse. Consequently, they will look at the issue of many years of occupation of Karabakh with different eyes. Western countries avoid that at all costs. They have geopolitical interest, as they see Armenia as an instrument of influence in the South Caucasus. There is also a civilizational interest, i.e., dependence on the political parties of the Christian community.
Why is there so much talk about the Armenian genocide, but far less about the Khojaly events?
The main reason is the political interest of the West. Of course, the Armenian diaspora in these countries is larger, and propaganda there is more extensive. But in the issue of raising awareness about the Khojaly genocide, Azerbaijan has made maximum efforts. A campaign is carried out every year both in the republic and far beyond its borders.
When the West will recognize the Khojaly genocide
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan said in its statement that the liberation of the town symbolizes the strength and unity of the Azerbaijani people, the duty of loyalty to the victims of the Khojaly genocide. Do you believe that the recognition of this massacre as genocide has become more likely after Baku’s victory in Karabakh?
This campaign will definitely continue, but it is hard to say whether its dynamics will change. Armenia is trying to make itself look like a victim, and it is succeeding, especially given its loss in the 44-day war in 2022, although Armenia is an aggressor and occupier.
When Azerbaijani territories were under occupation, sympathies were on Baku’s side, but now the situation is different. Western countries have sided with Armenia and are trying to protect it. Therefore, it is unlikely that anything will change in the near future in the issue of recognizing the genocide, we have a long and painstaking work to do. But with time we will have more evidence of what happened; for example, a mass grave with the remains of the victims of the Khojaly tragedy was found during excavations in early February. So, we will have more opportunities to prove what happened on international platforms.
Will Baku be able to punish criminals?
The Azerbaijani authorities have been saying for years that the perpetrators of the tragedy will be found and punished. What further opportunities in this area did Baku gain after the liberation of Karabakh?
The illegitimate authorities of Karabakh have been detained and are incarcerated in Azerbaijan, their many crimes are being investigated today. The investigation will reveal whether they were involved in the Khojaly massacre or not.
Will Armenia’s ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) help identify the criminals?
There is no definite answer to this question. Armenia has joined the Rome Statute of the ICC, but it is unclear whether it is ready to extradite and prosecute the people who committed this crime against humanity. It seems to me that Yerevan ratified the statute more for PR purposes, to acquire another tool against Azerbaijan than for justice. The rhetoric of the Armenian authorities remains unchanged. Although this would help the investigation.
Can Baku make peace with Yerevan without the latter recognizing the genocide?
Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov has said that the delegations of Azerbaijan and Armenia will have talks on a peace treaty in the coming days. Is Baku willing to make peace with Yerevan without the latter recognizing the Khojaly events as genocide?
A peace treaty is important for the region first and foremost. We have seen peace agreements being signed after long wars. This document deals with the principles of relations between the two states. But it does not mean that we can forgive war crimes. Justice must prevail to prevent this from happening in the future.
Sona Rustamova
Translated from News.ru
