[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 33 (Thursday, February 27, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E264]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


       COMMEMORATING THE 22ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE KHOJALY TRAGEDY

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                            HON. PETE OLSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 27, 2014

  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 22nd anniversary of 
the Khojaly tragedy which took place on February 25-26, 1992, when the 
town of Khojaly in the Nagorno Karabakh region of Azerbaijan was 
attacked by Armenian forces. Khojaly, which was home to 7,000 people, 
was completely destroyed; a total of 613 people were killed.
  As the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict still remains unresolved, the 
U.S. must increase its efforts to facilitate the resolution to the 
conflict in accordance with international law. Congress must also 
recognize that the current status-quo is dangerous and a solution to 
the conflict is necessary to allow hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijani 
IDPs to return to their homes. There is no doubt that a settlement of 
this protracted conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan would let this 
region realize its huge potential and become prosperous.
  Mr. Speaker, as Azerbaijan, a tested and proven strategic partner of 
the United States, commemorates the 22nd anniversary of the Khojaly 
massacre this year, I call on my colleagues in Congress to speak up on 
this tragedy and stand with the Azerbaijani people.

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