[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 35 (Friday, February 25, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E173]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE KHOJALY MASSACRE

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                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 25, 2022

  Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, this week marks the 30th anniversary of the 
massacre of hundreds of people in the town of Khojaly, Azerbaijan. 
Khojaly, which is in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, was 
once home to 7,000 people. On February 26, 1992, in the largest killing 
of ethnic Azerbaijani civilians during the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, 
Armenian armed forces massacred over 600 unarmed people--including 106 
women, 63 children and 70 elderly people--and left less than 2,000 
survivors. Hundreds more became disabled due to their injuries. More 
than 100 children lost a parent and 25 children lost both parents, and 
at least 8 families were entirely killed.
  Although a cease-fire was negotiated in 1994, it is my hope that 
Armenia and Azerbaijan can come together and find peace. The conflict 
remains unresolved, and we saw an unfortunate escalation of conflict in 
2020 in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Long-term peace, security, and 
regional cooperation are in the best interests of the entire region of 
the South Caucasus and the world.
  Azerbaijan has been a strong partner of the United States and its 
allies. This cooperation has included: playing a leadership role in 
non-proliferation issues; providing troops to serve shoulder-to-
shoulder with U.S. forces in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan; allowing 
transit of non-lethal equipment used by coalition forces through 
Azerbaijan to Afghanistan; construction of the Southern Gas Corridor 
from the Caspian Sea to Italy, thereby providing Europe with an 
alternative to Russian energy sources; and supplying 40 percent of 
Israel's oil. Azerbaijan also has a thriving Jewish community and has 
outstanding relations with Israel.
  As Azerbaijanis throughout the world commemorate the massacre and 
continue to grieve the loss of loved ones, I hope they can find peace 
amidst this tragedy.

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