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Militant Armenian elements threaten Khojaly commemorative concert

22 February 2014 16:18 (UTC +04:00)

TEAS told APA that it will feature renowned violinist Sabina Rakcheyeva, clarinettist Kinan Azmeh and the Solstice String Quartet, and Nazrin Rashidova and her all-female FeMusa Ensemble. A version of Pierre Thilloy’s haunting work Khojaly 613, specially adapted for a string quartet, will be played for the first time to an international audience.

The event will be a quiet and dignified remembrance of the tragic events of 26 February 1992.For Azerbaijanis the 613 men women and children of Khojaly who were shot down that night must never be forgotten.

Unfortunately this simple act of musical commemoration has come under threat in Paris in the past few days. Debate has raged on a leading Armenian website based in France about how it may be disrupted. The organisers have been called ‘mafia’, ‘international riff-raff’ and even obscenities have been hurled at them. Personal threats have been made against individuals involved in the event or associated with TEAS. Can you imagine this in France, the birthplace of ‘Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité’?

TEAS organised the event to remember the dead of Khojaly in an appropriately cultural way. We expect all those who have expressed themselves in such vituperative language to take responsibility for their actions and to respond with respect for people conducting a peaceful act of commemoration.

TEAS Director Lionel Zetter said:

“France is one of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group charged with negotiating a peaceful settlement to the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. We are very confident that the French authorities will ensure that this dignified commemorative cultural event can proceed without any harassment or interference. The vast majority of those Armenians living in France only want to see a peaceable settlement. It is a shame that a few hardcore militants have no interest in a peaceful solution. We trust that all those who participate in this solemn event will be allowed to do so in peace.”