[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 37 (Monday, February 27, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E147-E148]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        RECOGNIZING THE 31ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE KHOJALY MASSACRE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 27, 2023

  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, February 26 marks the 31st 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. This was the largest killing of ethnic 
Azerbaijani civilians during the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. On 
February 26, 1992, 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. 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. Escalation of 
conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region is not in the interest of the 
South Caucuses. Long-term peace, security, and regional cooperation 
would greatly benefit the region and the world.
  Azerbaijan has been a strong partner of the United States and its 
allies. This cooperation has included sending significant humanitarian 
aid to Ukraine during the ongoing war with Russia; 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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