THE LIQUIDATION OF KHOJALY WAS AN ACTION TO SCARE
however its masterminders shouldn't be found [only] in Yerevan

by NURANI
Saturday, 26 February 2000

February 26, 2000 at 17-00 Azerbaijan will keep a minute of silence for those victims of Hodjaly tragedy. The meetings will be hold again, monument devoted to victims will be open in Naftalan, a number of flowers will be laid at memorials in Baku. Eight consequent years we are asking ouselves the same question: whether only the eternal "ethnic" enmity between Armenians and azeries s the reason for Hodjaly tragedy? Many noteced that Hodjaly tragedy happened in the anniversary of so called Sumgait pogroms. The hatred to all turkish, the statements of central Moscow newspapers and Armenian " spiritual leaders " that pogroms of Azeries in Armenia and Karabakh could be "to explained" by revenge for Sumgait (before Sumgait they revenged for " genocide of 1915 " and the whole world considered it as terrorism) and the conviction of Armenia military advantage played its role. State advisor on international relations Idayat Orudjev reminded at press-conference that Hodjaly had an important strategic position: there was an airport, roads connecting Agdam-Shusha and Hankendi-Askeran. Besides there are no doubts, that Hodjaly inhabitants punishment was an deterrence action to Shusha population and neighbour regions in Karabakh. Hodjaly tragedy was not the first one and won't be the last punishment of civil Azerbaijan population. However, Armenian armed formations that hid earlier all traces of their atrocities allowed this time to take pictures that shoked all Azerbaijan. The thing is that organizers of mass punishment have underestimated the impression on all world community. Probably, having practically unconditional support of world community, those in Armenia just could not imagine that the balance of sympathies can be changed not for the benefit of Yerevan. They also did not expect that USA State Department will declare Hodjaly destruction as the largest tragedy of 1992. Probably, they didn't forsee that Azerbaijan already had own information channels, not controled by Moscow. Overdue attempt to present the thing that Azeries itself bear the responsibility for Hodjaly(!)? failed. However, the negative result hardly can prove the absence of such goal. The thing is whether masterminders of this tragedy was only in? Azerbaijan is not going to ignore a role of the 366-th regiment in Hodjaly tragedy. 366-th rgiment that took an active part in inhabitants punishment tested new weapon and that was not an unexpecteded thing for political leadership in Russia and CIS, let alone the militarian.

However, observers missed one circumstance. Hodjaly tragedy took place in 25-26 February night, 1992, two months after signing documents in Belovezhskaya Pusha on USSR collapse. Thart was a specific time in Russia history. Romantic moods of August 1991 gradually faded down. However, USSR collapse was accepted by society quieter, than, for example, Poland, Hungary and Czeck Republic joining NATO or Belgrad bombardments. Talks about reform of new union was common. Therefore Belovezhskaya Pusha agreements were perceived as a Union reform. Russian political leadership that all new independent republics will soon ask to be allowed to come back. Just on the eve of tragedy politicians tried to solve the destiny of former Soviet Army left ownerless. There were two variants: to have own armed forces or to participate in creation of the uniform CIS armed forces. And bloody punishment of Hodjaly inhabitants had to demonstrate the "opponents" in Baku the destiny of Azerbaijan in case of refusal to cooperate with Russia. Taking into account that 200 years of Russia domination in Transcaucasia is 200 years of the systematic extension of the territories, occupied by Armenians at the expense of Azerbaijan territiries one can conclude that seizure of important strategic city and deterrence action to cause the outcome of azeries from those territories that Armenia claim to be own ones, look like appropriate long-term strategy of Moscow. Thus, there is no doubt that only executors of Hodjaly Genocide were in Armenia.