The "Forgotten conflict" book by acclaimed Swiss journalist Andre Widmer narrating on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been published.
The book, edited and published with the support of the Azerbaijani embassy to Switzerland, contains material collected by the journalist during his trips to the occupied Azerbaijani lands. Based on the hard facts, the book provides an insight into the history of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, its causes, difficulties of Azerbaijanis displaced from their homes, Khojaly genocide and other atrocities committed by Armenian armed forces in the occupied lands, official Yerevan`s policy of illegal settlement, destruction of the Azerbaijani historical and cultural legacy.
The book, published in German and English languages, features photographs taken by the author. They reflect acts of vandalism committed by Armenians in the occupied Azerbaijani lands, in particular, Shusha and Agdam.
"Making a trip to Nagorno-Karabakh in 2008, I was going to prepare just a report on the situation in the region but after conducting investigation and witnessing the post-conflict situation I made up my mind to bring all this information to the readers in a broader format. Historians and politicians wrote much about legal aspects of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. However, this book draws attention to the human factor along with facts and figures," the author wrote in the foreword.
Mr Widmer regrets that the world community does not pay enough attention to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and expresses hope that the book will make contribution to the fair resolution of the dispute.
The author notes that Armenians annihilated all social and infrastructure facilities, ancient historical monuments, mosques and cemeteries.
On the history of the conflict, the journalist says that the conflict began in 1988 on the grounds of unfounded territorial claims of Armenia against Azerbaijan. The author draws attention to the crimes of the Armenian terrorist organization Asala, acts of genocide committed by Armenians against Azerbaijanis long before the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and ethnic purge. He says that the bloodiest crime committed by Armenians is the Khojaly genocide.
The book holds that the Armenian families settled in Nagorno-Karabakh and that occupied regions are suffering from poverty. “No Azerbaijani is left in these territories as a result of the Armenia`s ethnic purge.”
Mr Widmer says that despite Armenians` claims that Nagorno-Karabakh belongs to them, the world community recognizes these territories and seven occupied regions around Nagorno-Karabakh as an integral part of Azerbaijan.
The journalist notes that although Armenia considers itself a winner in the Nagorno-Karabakh war, this country realizes that it found itself in a very difficult situation as a result of its aggressive policy. “Armenia isolated itself in the region.”
Finding as unacceptable the occupation of the Azerbaijani lands by the Armenian troops and saying that the conflict displaced over a million of Azerbaijanis, the author points out that Azerbaijan ranks first for the per capita IDP. Mr Widmer says Baku is ready to grant the highest autonomy to Nagorno-Karabakh but Armenian does not agree with it. He says that Armenia disregards four UN Security Council resolutions demanding the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the Azerbaijani lands. “People continue to die on the frontline notwithstanding the agreement on ceasefire signed in 1994.” He also highlights conversations with IDPs and their desire to return home.
Andre Widmer has made a few trips to Azerbaijan in line with cooperation with the embassy of Azerbaijan to Switzerland. He eye-witnessed the situation in the occupied territories. The journalist has published a few articles on this topic in Switzerland and Germany. In these articles, the author labels Armenia as an aggressor and underlines that Nagorno-Karabakh and other territories are original Azerbaijani lands.

AzerTAc