Pashinyan’s calls for end to ‘mirrored’ genocide accusations appear to go unheard in Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan has consistently demanded international recognition of the 1918 massacres of Azerbaijanis by Armenians as genocide, despite Armenia’s leadership attempting to halt reciprocal accusations regarding historical events during peace negotiations. Former Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev issued a decree in 1998 designating March 31st as ‘the Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis’, alleging Armenians killed ‘tens of thousands’ of Azerbaijanis. Sabina Aliyeva, the Azerbaijani Human Rights Defender, stated that the systematic killing of civilians during the March-April 1918 incidents, based on ethnic and religious origins, hadn’t yet received international acknowledgement.

This period involved numerous conflicts, including World War I, the Russian Civil War, the Turkish-Armenian War, and local clashes between Armenians and Azerbaijanis, resulting in widespread violence and tit-for-tat massacres. Only Azerbaijan and Turkey currently utilize the term ‘genocide’ to describe these events. Recently, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry accused ‘radical Armenian groups’ of carrying out a genocide against Azerbaijanis, contrasting with Prime Minister Pashinyan’s attempts to move away from such accusations for the sake of peace.

Pashinyan has repeatedly dismissed the exodus of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians in 2023 as ethnic cleansing, labeling such discourse ‘harmful’. Pashinyan suggests focusing on broader issues, stating that the “race of genocide accusations” needs to cease, as they inevitably lead to mirrored accusations. He emphasizes his priority is assisting refugees and fostering peace.

Despite claiming a peace treaty was established, Pashinyan stresses the need to strengthen it, and frames opposition parties as a “war party”. Pashinyan’s calls for an end to “mirrored” genocide accusations appear to go unheard in Azerbaijan.

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