Elkhan Suleymanov,

Member of  Azerbaijani delegation to PACE

On July 4, 2017 aggressor Armenia committed another bloody crime. Thus, Armenia armed forces shelled Alkhanli village of Fizuli region with mortars and grenades. As a result of shelling by the emeny Guliyeva Sahiba (1967) and her 18-month-old granddaughter Guliyeva Zahra were killed. Another civilian Guliyeva Sarvinaz (1965) was wounded.

This criminal action against humanity committed by Armenia targeting at innocent civilians is not a random crime. Such crimes are committed systematically. During the occupation and after that for 25 years criminal Armenia regularly murdered the civilian population of Azerbaijan, especially women and children with special cruelty in the frontier territories.

The murder of Zahra, who was only 18 months old, as a result of missile shot by Armenian soldiers, undoubtedly recalls the other bloody crimes committed by the aggressor in the recent past. The death of Shahmaliyeva Aygun Ziraddin (1998) on June 12, 2012 as a result of explosion of “stuffed animal” toy thrown to Tovuz River which flaws to Alibayli village of Azerbaijan from the territories controlled by Armenia and the murder of 9-year-old Fariz Badalov on March 8, 2011 as a result of sniper shooting by Armenian armed forces from Agdam region occupied by Armenia are etched on our memory.

The fact that the Armenian side committed this crime after the visit of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to the region shows that it is not accidental. Indeed when we look at the immediate past we can see that at the time when the negotiations are intensified, important results are expected, during or following the next visit of OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to the region, Armenian side, as a rule, violated the ceasefire and the cases of murder of civilians, especially children have increased.

The same was the case this time again – following the visit of OSCE Minsk Gruop co-chairs to the region, the enemy being loyal to its tradition, committed another bloody crime. At the time when there are callings for changing the status quo through substantive negotiations at the meetings with OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, provocations of Armenian side aimed at deliberate killing of civilians and children once again prove that Armenian state is not interested in putting an end to the occupation.

Certainly, by noting the fact that the documents adopted by international organizations regarding the occupation are not implemented, and inspired by the absence of any difference between occupant and the occupied side and the fact that no sanctions are imposed on it for its occupation policy, Armenia continues to commit bloody crimes. In this case international organizations act as defenders of the aggressor Armenia and de-facto support it, killer of 18-month-old Zahra and other Azerbaijani children. Therefore, international communty should stop its indeference and protection of aggressor Armenia and take real measures for stopping occupation.