Stepanakert: The problem of xenophobia towards Armenians in  Azerbaijan is a threat to regional stability and security

ArmInfo. Artsakh Foreign Ministry issued a statement in connection with the 30th anniversary of the Armenian pogroms in Baku.

According to the press service of the NKR MFA, the statement in  particular states:  "Today marks the 30th anniversary of the Armenian  pogroms in Baku, one of the most tragic episodes of the  Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict. On January 13, 1990, the targeted  oppression of the Armenians of Baku turned into a widespread and  organized massacre.

Chanting the slogans "Glory to the heroes of Sumgait!", "Long live  Baku without Armenians!", a crowd of thousands, having divided into  groups led by activists of the Popular Front of Azerbaijan (PFA),  embarked upon methodically "cleansing" the city of Armenians house by  house. Evidence abounds on atrocities and murders committed with  extreme cruelty.

Those who managed to escape death were subjected to forced  deportation. Thousands of Armenians were brought to the port of  Krasnovodsk city in Turkmen SSR by a ferry across the Caspian Sea,  and were later sent to Armenia and Russia by airplanes.

The massacres continued for an entire week in the conditions of  complete inactivity of Azerbaijani authorities, internal troops and  Baku's large garrison of the Soviet Army.

On January 18, on the occasion of the massacres of Armenians in Baku,  as well as armed attacks on the Armenian villages of Shahumyan region  and Getashen, the European Parliament adopted a resolution titled "On  the Situation in Armenia", which called for the authorities of the  USSR to guarantee real protection of the Armenian population living  in Azerbaijan by sending forces to intervene in the situation.

Units of the Soviet Army were deployed to the capital of Azerbaijani  SSR only in the night of 20 January 1990 that stopped the pogroms,  overcoming the fierce resistance of armed units of the PFA.  The Baku  pogroms became one of the bloodiest mass crimes against the Armenian  population in a series of pogroms, deportations, ethnic cleansing and  other crimes against humanity carried out in Azerbaijan since  February 1988. According to various sources, 150 to 300 people died  as a result of the massacre.

We condemn the permanent denial by the Azerbaijani authorities of the  genocidal acts and the heroization of the performers, which has  become an integral part of Baku's policy of promoting xenophobia and  hatred towards Armenians.

Today, the inculcation of Armenophobia and the promotion of hate  crimes against Armenians have been elevated to the rank of state  policy in Azerbaijan and penetrated into all spheres of public life  in this country, thus causing serious changes in the consciousness of  the Azerbaijani society.

The problem of xenophobia towards Armenians in Azerbaijan has reached  such dimensions that has become one of the key sources of threats to  regional stability and security.  In order to overcome these negative  processes and prevent an even greater complication of the problem of  xenophobia in Azerbaijan, implementation of a set of measures, with  the support of the international community, will be necessary, which  will allow Azerbaijani society to get rid of the hate norms and  guidelines imposed by the authorities.

An important step in the process of eradicating the negative  phenomena caused by the years-long propaganda of hatred towards  Armenians could be the recognition by the Azerbaijani authorities of  responsibility for the mass crimes committed against the Armenian  population, including the Baku pogroms. This will not only improve  the situation in Azerbaijan itself, but also create prerequisites for  establishing lasting peace in the region".