The director of
the Institute of History of Azerbaijan National Academy
of Sciences (ANAS), MP Yagub Mahmudov has recently uttered the idea at a
meeting of the Presidium of ANAS that “the history of Derbend, Borchali should
be studied again”. Following this proposal, a smear campaign was launched in
the Armenian press against the Azerbaijani historian.
Various
Armenian mass media spread the information saying that, the Institute of History
of ANAS makes territorial claims against Russia
and Georgia.
The Armenian media outlets made insults, posting on their websites sheep image
next to the name of the Institute
of History of ANAS.
Yagub
Mahmudov, commenting on the smear campaign, stated that this confirms that the
Armenians are not engaged in science. The statement further reads: “Instead of
to accept the historical facts, they are exposing these pictures and show the
low level of their science and culture.
At a
meeting of the Presidium of ANAS, I spoke about the actual problems of Azerbaijan
history and, in particular, I have repeatedly emphasized that Azerbaijani state
admits the internationally recognized territories of other states and the
Azerbaijani nation is the owner of its internationally recognized territory.
Every
nation has its own history. Azerbaijanis as a nation have settled in different
areas. In particular, they historically live in the Russian
Federation - in Derbend and its surroundings, in Georgia – in
Borchali region. Russia
is our northern neighbor and we do not have any territorial claims against this
state. And we do not have any territorial claims against Georgia.
However, Armenians are trying to drive a wedge in our relationship with Russia and Georgia. In Russia, live
many Azerbaijanis, therefore, it is natural that when writing the history of
our people we talk about our scientists, poets, doctors living in this country.
Unlike Armenians, we have - a great nation, we are 60 million, and our
compatriots live in many countries, giving the world many prominent and
influential personalities. For example, the world science luminary Lotfi Zadeh
lives in the United States,
so we enter his name in our history. No matter in which country of the world
Azerbaijanis lived, we will write their history.
However,
the country under the name of Armenia
has never existed in history. Armenians deny the fact that Armenian state was
created on ancient Azerbaijani lands – on the territory of the former Iravan
khanate. And these lands never belonged to Armenians. Historically, these lands
have always been ours. The essence of my speech at the meeting of the Presidium
of ANAS was the fact that we, as the people of Azerbaijan, not making territorial
claims to anybody, should study our history.
The
Armenian falsifiers, seeking to sow discord in the relations of Azerbaijan with Russia
and Georgia,
have resorted to the lies traditional for them. Armenian historians and ruling
circles are well aware of the fact that the Armenians were moved to our lands.
Until the 1827-1828 years Armenians did not live in the South
Caucasus. They were resettled on the territory of Iravan
khanate by the Russian Empire. On May 29, 1918 under strong external pressure, Azerbaijan was
forced to cede Iravan and the surrounding lands- an area of ??9000 square
kilometers to Armenians. We granted Armenians the opportunity to
self-determination on our own territory, recognized them this right, which
allowed them to establish their own state.
So
let Armenian historians leave the epithet “sheep” for themselves. And let them
objectively examine the history, then they will be obliged to recognize the
fact that up to May 29, 1918 in this area has never existed Armenian state.
Armenians created their state in our lands, in the territory of Iravan
khanate. Let them answer me, we gave them an area of ??9000 square kilometers,
our ancient city of Iravan, then what are they doing now in the territory of
the Republic of Azerbaijan - in Karabakh? Armenian troops must get out of
Karabakh. At one time we gave the Armenians 9000 square kilometers of our
territory, after which they seized Zangazur as well. Therefore I, as director
of the Institute
of History demand from
them to clear off from the occupied Azerbaijani lands, and to abandon their
attempts to falsify history.
We
have written the history of Iravan, Nakhchivan and Garabagh. If they can, let
them refute at least one fact. But they will not be able to do this.
Armenians
have no right to lay claim to any territory. In ancient times they lived on the
Balkan Peninsula. Over the centuries they
lived in those or other foreign lands, and now, after they have created for
themselves a state in the Azerbaijani territory, they want to seize other our
lands.