“How can Armenia be accused of being a supporter of Nazism, when Aliyev personally organizes the glorification of the Nazi regime? This is unacceptable,” RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated during an online press conference.
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A reporter asked Pashinyan, ”Recently, in an interview with Russian media, the President of Azerbaijan continued to accuse Armenia of glorifying Garegin Nzhdeh, who they see view as a Nazi collaborator. How would you comment on Aliyev’s statements, and can this have repercussions on Armenian-Russian relations?”
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Nikol Pashinyan said that the format of the press conference gave an opportunity to get acquainted with the issues and prepare for them.
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“I referred to the gathering of the leaders of the CIS countries in Ashgabat on a delicacy related to Garegin Nzhdeh. After that, by the way, I read a wonderful article in the Russian press about Garegin Nzhdeh, where it was said that Nzhdeh was an officer in the Russian army and took part in the Balkan War as a member of the Russian army, and was awarded. In this regard, I think Russia should also re-evaluate Garegin Nzhdeh.”
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In this context, according to the RA Prime Minister, Azerbaijan’s policy is as follows: They want to humiliate the participation of the Armenian people in the Great Patriotic War, to show that the Armenians are a people cooperating with the fascists and the Nazis.
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“I want to talk about this topic with facts. 600,000 Armenians took part in the war, 100,000 Armenians took part outside the Soviet Union, i.e. in the European and American forces. 300,000 Armenians died. During the Second World War, 65 Armenians received the rank of general. A total of 115 generals took part in the war, including Hovhannes Baghramyan, Hamazasp Babajanyan, Sergey Khudyakov, Sergey Aganov and one admiral, Hovhannes Isakov. 26 of the heroes are from Artsakh, 27 Armenians are considered full knights of the Order of Glory, that is, they had the medals of all degrees of glory. The Armenian people have formed 6 Armenian divisions with 60,000 soldiers. Armenians with heroes are the 6th among the Soviet nations. I want to say that it is impossible to relegate the role and contribution of the Armenian people in the victory in the Second World War.”
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However, Nikol Pashinyan said that if Azerbaijanis want to present Armenians as a people cooperating with the Nazis, it is necessary to present some factual data.
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“During the war, about 75,000 Azerbaijanis were involved in fascist legionnaires. An Azerbaijani legion was formed, which had all its attributes, starting from the clothes, here are the clothes of the soldiers of the Wehrmacht, with insignia. Moreover, during the Second World War, the Azeri legionnaire’s official newspaper was published (ed.). I want to show more attributes, the flag is Nazi-Azerbaijani, this is the uniform attribute, the first page of the official newspaper is the official newspaper.”
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“One of the founders of the First Republic of Azerbaijan is Mahmoud Emin Rasulzade, who worked closely with Nazi Germany and the Nazi Party, which led to the formation of this Azerbaijani group. But in this story, it is much more important how Rasulzade is treated in Azerbaijan now. By the decree of the President of Azerbaijan, his 130th birthday was celebrated with great pomp, moreover, on that occasion a jubilee stamp was issued, it is mentioned that in 2014, on the occasion of the 130th anniversary of Emin Rasulzade. His statue has been erected in four places in Azerbaijan, streets and other places have been named,” said Prime Minister Pashinyan.
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H/T News.Am