The Irish Times, 12 March 1992
Sir, – To enable your readers to have a more objective assessment of the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh the following points should also be undelined:
The fact of this matter is that Nagorno-Karabakh is part of the territory of Azerbaijan. The territorial claims by the Armenians over that region and the attempts to change the status quo by the Armenians is the main cause of the conflict. Azerbaijan is entitled to assume the public order in this particular region and the local Armenians should accept this prerequisite without objection, let alone to challenge the constitutional authority by force and terrorism.
The Azeris living in the Nagorno-Karabakh region have been subjected to continuous threats and attacks by the Armenians whose aim is to drive the Azeri people away from their homeland. As a result thousands of Azeris have been forced to flee their houses and villages. The Armenian militia last week brutally massacred about 1,000 Azeri civilians, killing indiscriminately children, woman and the elderly. This massacre should be openly and strongly condemned by all.
On the other hand, as you rightly pointed out in your editorial of March 9th, involvement of the third parties in the conflict by taking sides with either of the parties will aggravate the situation further.
All questions related to Nagorno-Karabakh should be settled through negotiation between the Azeris and the Armenians, without any outside intervention, on the basis that boundaries can be modified only by the countries concerned and that the inhabitants of Nagorno-Karabakh should fully enjoy their human rights. – Yours, etc.,
Aydin Durusoy
Counsellor, Turkish Embassy
60 Merrion Road, Dublin 4