The Chamber of Deputies of Paraguay Congress adopted the declaration on October 25, 2017, condemning the war crimes committed by Armenian Military forces in 1992 in Khojaly town of Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. The statement denounces the killing of innocent Azerbaijani civilians and recognizes this act as a Genocide of ethnic Azerbaijanis.
After accepting the declaration the Vice President of the Armenian Parliament Eduard Sharmazanov sent a letter to the President of the Paraguay Parliament Pedro Lorenzo Aliana Rodriguez, expressing his concern about the statement.
Esmérita Sanchez de Da Silva
Congresswoman of Paraguay National Congress
Congresswoman of Paraguay National Congress Esmérita Sanchez de Da Silva stated for Eurasia Diary that the declaration in support of Khojaly Genocide aimed at disseminating of truth about massive killing of innocent people and strengthening of the strategic bilateral partnership of Asunción with Bakú.
Peter M. Tase
Political commentator, historian, journalist-analyst
“It is a huge mistake intentionally made by Mr. Eduard Sharmazanov in trying to confuse and disinform the international public opinion and the public at large,” political analyst and historian Peter M. Tase told Eurasia Diary.
He said that Mr. Pedro Alliana is a well seasoned politician from the Colorado Party, the largest political party in Paraguay and Latin América based on a high percentage of its popularity within the total number of voters on each neighboring country.
According to him, the Khojaly Genocide was fully orchestrated by the Armenian Soldiers and terrorists who were illegally operating inside the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan killing innocent civilians, women and children.
Eduard Sharmazanov’s claims in his letter: “Armenian military forces had nothing to do with Khojaly” are the source of confusion, disinformation, fraudulent data and false information. Current President of Armenia and former Minister of Defense of Armenia, Serzh Sarkisian in his interview conducted by Thomas De Waal, author of the “Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan Through Peace and War” (New York and London: New York University, 2003, p. 172) didn’t deny that Armenians killed Azerbaijani civilians in Khojaly town.
In addition, Armenian writer Markar Melkonian in his book entitled "My Brother's Road: An American's Fateful Journey to Armenia" (New York: I.B. Tauris, 2005, p. 213) explained how his brother Monte Melkonian, who is one of the criminals of the genocide, killed people in Khojaly town.
Commenting on the Sharmazanov’s letter, political analyst said that the declaration approved by the Honorable Chamber of Deputies of Paraguay is a legitimate action and valid based on International laws and sovereignty of Paraguayan institutions.
UN Security Council resolutions and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe resolutions demanding “withdrawal of all Armenian military forces from occupied territories of Azerbaijan” are still unfulfilled by Armenia.
“Manipulating European history is a persistant campaign led by Armenian Government. This attitude sooner or latter will heavily harm the image of Armenia abroad,” Peter Tase added.
Senior Adviser of International Affairs in the National Congress of Paraguay, Nicolas Benitez Saguier told Foreign Policy News that "with this congressional resolution and official declaration in the National Congress of Paraguay, we are strongly condemning the genocide that took place against the people of Khojaly, perpetrated in 1992 and confirms and reassures the full solidarity of Paraguayan people with the Republic of Azerbaijan on the occasion of the commemoration of the anniversary of this tragic event; the 26th anniversary of this terrible crime against humanity".
According to Nicolas Benítez the political cooperation between the Paraguayan Honorable Chamber of Deputies and Azerbaijan National Assembly will be one of the top priorities in the upcoming new legislature that will begin its term in July 2018.
"We are all privileged to be able to strengthen our strategic ties with The Republic of Azerbaijan, as both countries, Paraguay and Azerbaijan have suffered so much from the consequences of wars in their respective national histories," he concluded.
Farid Hasanov
Photos of Khojaly Genocide victims:
