YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. 123 Turkish intellectuals have issued a statement warning about the genocidal policy carried out by Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh and calling on the international community to take action and prevent new human tragedy instead of remaining in the role of an observer.
In the statement provided to ARMENPRESS, the Turkish scholars noted that the Azerbaijani regime, which has blockaded Nagorno-Karabakh for nine months, launched military operations in front of the whole world during the UN General Assembly.
“Azerbaijan carried out this attack with explicit support from Turkey and Israel, while the whole world was silently watching what was happening. There is a clear danger of ethnic cleansing and genocide,” the Turkish scholars said in the statement, emphasizing that former ICC chief prosecutor M. Ocampo’s warnings are turning into reality one by one.
The Turkish intellectuals reminded that Azerbaijan has been ignoring and disregarding many countries and international organizations that were calling for an end to the blockade. And now, according to the scholars, there is no sense to expect that the Baku regime would heed to the calls to cease hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh.
“They [Azerbaijan] seek to completely take control over Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh, and exterminate Armenians from territories where Armenians have lived for centuries, and in case of resistance simply kill them. The despotic Azerbaijan’s goal is one – to end through violence the existence of Armenians within borders drawn by force,” reads the statement. The intellectuals noted that just like the Azeris destroyed the Armenian cemetery in Julfa, they will erase Armenians and Armenian trace from Artsakh.
Expressing deep concern over the developments, the Turkish intellectuals emphasized that the international community isn’t doing enough. “We repeat once more, genocide prevention doesn’t imply to wait for it to happen and then only intervene. Genocide prevention is first of all taking active actions. We call on all countries, led by the UN, all international organizations and the international community, to assume an active stance,” reads the statement.
The scholars called for the evacuation of the civilians who are left as hostages in the region and provision of humanitarian aid. “The right of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh to freely exercise their right to be a citizen of any country must be guaranteed.”
Signatories include Taner Akcam, Baskin Oran, Sait Cetinoglu, Cengiz Aktar, Aris Nalci, Eren Keskin and others.
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