No national or religious discrimination in Azerbaijan, Baku says

PanARMENIAN.Net - "The Nagorno Karabakh problem is not connected with national and religious discrimination," Azeri Milli Mejlis deputy chairman Valeh Aleskerov said in his address to the BSEC committee of culture, education and science.



There was never national, religious or ethnic discrimination in Azerbaijan, he said.



"Azerbaijan was always tolerant toward other nations and religions. It is obvious," he stated.



According to him, the "Nagorno Karabakh conflict was provoked by some political groups wishing to come to power." "Presently, these forces hamper the conflict resolution in order to maintain power," he said, Trend news agency reports.



However, it worth reminding of the pogroms of Armenians in 1988. Dozens of Armenians were slaughtered in Sumgait during three February days. Official sources reported 52 victims. Some 14 thousand Armenians had to flee Sumgait after the massacre, which came up as a brutal response to the decision of the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Oblast to secede from the Azerbaijani SSR and join the Armenian SSR.



The Sumgait massacres were followed by pogroms in Kirovobad, Baku and Armenian-inhabited villages.