Reaction to the article published in the newspaper Hlavné správy

Response to the article “Azerbajdžan napadol Arménsko s použitím vojenskej techniky zo Slovenska, dodanej pomocou falošnej licencie Miroslava Lajčáka!” published on 29 September 2020 in the newspaper “Hlavné Správy”. The article includes false, distorted, even defamatory information, on which we provide our following response:

– Traces of weapons received from the Slovak Republic in combat operations in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan Republic.

An article published in the Hlavne Spravy newspaper on September 29, 2020, by author Ivan Lehotsky, expresses views on the sale of weapons by Slovak Republic to Azerbaijan. In this regard, it would be more appropriate for the author to investigate and inform the public about the sale in 2004 of 10 SU 25 military aircraft not used by the Air Force of the Slovak Republic from 1994 till 2004 to the Armenian Armed Forces. These military planes are used by the Armenian armed forces in the conflict zone, and some of these planes crashed for unknown reasons. Probably, the cause of the accident was technical failure of the planes.

– Participation of Fratisek Miklosko and Jean Chernogursky in the elections in the so-called “Nagorno-Karabakh Republic”.

The holding of illegal “elections” in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Ayerbaijan is a gross violation of the basic human rights of Azerbaijanis who have been subjected to ethnic cleansing and expelled from their lands. The United Nations, the OSCE, other international organizations and the international community have repeatedly condemned the illegal “elections” in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and declared the inviolability of Azerbaijan’s internationally recognized borders. The participation of Ján Čarnogursky and František Mikloško in the “election” show in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan is disrespect to the position of their countries on the conflict and the norms and principles of international law.

– The counter-offensive actions of the Azerbaijani armed forces in the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan has repeatedly stated that Armenia’s ongoing military aggression against Azerbaijan and the presence of Armed Forces of Armenia in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan poses a major threat to regional peace and stability.

The military and political leadership of the Republic of Armenia has often spoken out openly against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan, declared Nagorno-Karabakh as the territory of Armenia and called for a change in the negotiation format within the Minsk Group of the OSCE. At the same time, the Armenian side regularly committed provocations against Azerbaijan from the occupied territories, as a result of which civilians and soldiers lost their lives. The last of such provocations took place on July 12-16 this year, far from the conflict zone, in the direction of the Tovuz district of Azerbaijan on the international border between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

In the morning of 27 September 2020, the Armed Forces of Armenia opened fire and attacked the positions of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan, using large-caliber weapons, mortar launchers and artillery. As a result, there have been casualties among the civilians and military servicemen of Azerbaijan. Substantial damage has been inflicted upon the private and public properties and infrastructure. As of today, 30 civilians, including two children were killed. Five of them were members of one family. 121 civilians were seriously wounded.

In order to repel military aggression by Armed Forces of Armenia and to ensure security of civilians in densely populated residential areas deeply inside the internationally recognised territories of Azerbaijan, the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan undertake counter-offensive measures within the legitimate right to self-defence under article 51 of the UN Charter and in full compliance with international humanitarian law. Azerbaijan acts on its sovereign soil, and takes adequate and proportionate measures necessary to repulse the imminent threat to its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and security of its civilian population. 

The Military Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan are currently conducting combat operations within the borders of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The allegations that Azerbaijan is using mercenaries in the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh are not based on any facts and are therefore completely unfounded. Azerbaijan has 10 million inhabitants, professional army and tens of thousands of reservists. Therefore, Azerbaijan does not need mercenaries.

– How Armenians were settled in Azerbaijani land.

After the occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Tsarist Russia, the Kurakchay Treaty was signed with Ibrahimkhalil khan Javanshir on May 14, 1805 to incorporate the Karabakh khanate into the Russian Empire. On June 12, 1806, Ibrahimkhalil khan and his family were killed by Major Lisanevich’s troop in Khan garden near Shusha, ending the khanate’s existence.

During the wars of Tsarist Russia in 1804-1813 and 1828-1829 and as a result of these wars, the migration of Armenians to Georgia and mainly to Azerbaijan began with signing the Gulustan Treaty of 1818, the Turkmenchay Treaty of 1828 and the Adrianople Treaty of 1829. According to the article 15 of the Turkmenchay Treaty, Armenians were given permission to move freely from Iran to areas controlled by Tsarist Russia, mainly Azerbaijan.

If we look at the reports of General Ivan Paskevich to Tsar Nicholas I of Russia, the reports of the Collonel of Armenian origin Lazar Lazarev, the reports of the historian and statesman Ivan Chopin, we can find out not only the number of Armenian families resettled to the South Caucasus, but also the reasons and the purpose of this policy.

According to the above-mentioned sources tens of thousands of Armenians have been resettled from the surrounding countries to Karabakh, Nakhichevan, Ganja and Ordubad since the beginning of the nineteenth century.

It should be noted that the attempts of Armenians, relocated to areas densely populated by Azerbaijanis, to appropriate the Christian heritage of ancient Caucasian Albania with the aim to get certain historical rights to the lands of Azerbaijan were answered by historians with reference to reliable sources.

Azerbaijan is a multicultural country with many ethnic groups and Christian heritage.

In the South Caucasus region, the Republic of Azerbaijan is distinguished by its ethnic palette. Along with Azerbaijani Turks, ethnic groups such as mountain Jews, Kurds, Talysh, Tats, Molokans, Ingiloys, Chakhurs, Avars, Lezgins, Khinaligs, Budug, and Grizs also live here. Representatives of all ethnic groups consider themselves Azerbaijanis. At the same time, they practice their own language, religion and culture.

It should be noted that Azerbaijan has a very ancient Christian heritage. The history of the Albanian state, which existed in the territory of Azerbaijan from the IV century BC to the VII century AD, gives us clear answers to a number of questions. In the middle Ages, Caucasian Albanian historian Moisey Kalankatuklu wrote in his book “History of Albania” that the Elyseus, one of the disciples of the Apostle Thaddeus, came to these lands in the first century AD with the blessing of the first patriarch of Jerusalem, James the Just, to promote the Christianity in Albania. Since the beginning of the 4th century, Christianity has been accepted as the religion of Caucasian Albania.  Despite the collapse of Caucasian Albania in the 7th century, the Caucasian Albanian Church survived, and by decree of Tsar Alexander I in 1809, the Albanian churches in Azerbaijan were subordinated to the Armenian Catholicosate, and in 1815, the Albanian patriarchate was reduced to the level of a metropolitan. Then, at the request of the Echmiadzin Catholicos, the Albanian Autocephalous Apostolic Church was abolished in 1836 by the decision of the St. Petersburg Holy Synod and subordinated to the Armenian Echmiadzin Church and the archives of the Albanian Church were destroyed in 1909-1910.

The Albanian Church has been rebuilt since 1980. In 2003, the Albanian-Udi Christian community was registered. Currently, the Holy Elysee Church operates in the village of Nic, Gabala region.

It should also be noted that the Holy Elysee Monastery, consisting of seven churches built in the 5th century, is located in the territory of Sugovushan (Madagiz), liberated from the occupation of the Armenian Armed Forces by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. Here is the tomb of the Albanian ruler Momin Vachaga III.

The people and government of Azerbaijan have always been sensitive to their historical heritage. Today, each historical monument is restored and protected by the relevant agencies of the Republic of Azerbaijan.