Pakistani newspaper: "Armenia must liberate occupied territories of Azerbaijan"

"Armenia must liberate occupied territories of Azerbaijan" by Nergiz Malik presents facts that Karabakh belongs to Azerbaijan and Armenia has occupied it, APA reports.

The article notes that Upper and Lower Karabakh always belonged to Azerbaijani states through the history.

"The notion of Karabakh emerged in north part of Azerbaijan in 4th century B.C and was a part of Caucasus Albania till 8th century," the article writes.

The author noted that Russian imperia used religion to its interests. On this purpose, Russia subordinated the independent Alban church to Armenian Grigoryan church. So the Christian people of Albania were obliged to join Armenian Church.

Russia attached Lenkeran, Baku, Guba, Derbend, Nakchivan and Irevan khanates to its territory. Russia wanted to place Armenians as a buffer to the khanates fighting for independence. Russian imperia deported 130 thousand of Armenians from Iran and Turkey to Azerbaijan in 1828-1830 according to Turkmenchay agreement. 50 thousand of them were settled in Karabakh. The notion of "Armenia" did not mean territory when Russia invaded Azerbaijan.

Armenians were known as a community among Muslims of Azeri khanates. But Russia called the invaded territories "Armenian province" after the agreement.

"Armenian province" was replaced with Yerevan governorship according to the new administrative territory division in 1849. Between 1878 and 1914, more 500 thousand Armenians were deported to Azerbaijan. February and October revolutions in Russia were the beginning of a new stage for "Armenian issue".

Council of People Commissars adopted a law "Turkish Armenia to decide self-termination" signed by Lenin and Stalin.

Armenian territory included Ichmedzin, Aleksandropol and Yeni Beyazid that half of people were Azerbaijanis. Armenian government headed by Dashnaktsutyune demanded Nakchivan, Zengezur and Karabakh territories and that caused a war between Azerbaijan and Armenia in 1918-1920.

Russian Communist Party Central Committee Caucasus Bureau adopted the following laws on June 5, 1921: "Considering national peace between Muslims and Armenians, economical relations between Upper and Lower Karabakh and permanent relations between Karabakh and Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh will remain in Azerbaijan SSR territory and Nagorno Karabakh will be large autonomy, centre Shusha”. Azerbaijan SSR was included in USSR in 1922," the author wrote.

She also noted that near 1 million Azerbaijanis were deported from Nagorno Karabakh in 1988-89. Khojali genocide and Armenian violence of international laws are also mentioned in the article. She also noted that the negotiations to settle the conflict are continuing.