YEREVAN (Realist English). These days, the Armenian public marks the thirty–third anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in Baku (January 13-20, 1990). In those dark days in the capital of Azerbaijan, people were robbed, raped and killed, whose only fault was belonging to the Armenian nation. Armenians who had worked honestly for the benefit of Azerbaijan were killed, people whose contribution to the construction of the city could hardly be overestimated, were evicted.
Those times were troubled, the USSR was rapidly falling apart, each nation had a huge set of its own concerns. Maybe that’s why more than two hundred thousand Baku Armenians of the one and a half million city were abandoned to their fate.
The Soviet Army entered the city with a week’s delay. And this wasvat a time when every hour added dozens more tortured and killed. By the time of the tragic events, there were about thirty thousand Armenians left in the city. In this dark time for us, the Turkmen people were one of the few who extended a fraternal helping hand to the Baku Armenians.
Thousands and thousands of people were ferried to Krasnovodsk, now renamed Turkmenbashi in honor of the leader of the Turkmen people, where selfless friends provided them with food, clothes, and helped them get rid of the nightmare of pogroms and massacres. For many thousands of Armenians, Turkmenistan has become the promised land, the place of salvation. Armenians will never forget the nobility and selflessness of Turkmenbashi and the Turkmen people.
The friendship of the Armenian and Turkmen peoples has withstood the test of time and disaster. The disaster that the Turkmens perceived as their own. Thank God, today both Turkmenistan and Armenia state with satisfaction that the relations of the two independent states reflect our sincere centuries-old friendship.
We ask you to convey our gratitude and best wishes to the entire Turkmen people. Peace and happiness to you on your blessed land. On behalf of Armenians and representatives of other nationalities, refugees from Azerbaijan. Eternal memory and eternal glory to the first President of Turkmenistan Saparmurat Atayevich Niyazov!
Signatories:
Eduard Polatov — Head of the Coordinating Council of Plenipotentiary Representatives of Political, Religious and National Refugee Groups from the Azerbaijan SSR; Chairman of the patriotic organization “Talish – Border Settlements” and Chairman of the Greek community of Armenia and Artsakh “Patrida”
Hrazdan Madoyan — public figure, journalist, political scientist
Sarkis Tsaturyan — Editor-in-Chief of the Realist News Agency
Vazgen Petrosyan — Coordinator of the organization “People’s Movement of Armenia”
Ashot Ashotyan — organization The Voice of the People; Master of sports of international class in weightlifting, honorary President of Martial Arts, black belt, fourth dan.
Ashot Gevorgyan — Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, professor, public figure.
