On May 24, a Russian language teacher from one of Tovuz schools in Azerbaijan, Sadakyar Kasumova, was one of those who were asking questions to Khatuna Chapichadze who was delivering a speech at the public hearing in Georgian Tekali village. Her question was more like a speech. Azeri speaker said, “What first step should be initiated to establish a South Caucasus Union. We had lived in the Soviet Union and we were free to travel to any republic, there was a mutual understanding and trust between the republics. For example, I have not forgotten that there was friendship, mutual understanding, and confidence between our two countries. It is necessary to restore all that, this is good forgotten past, we need to restore it between the people. What is behind us? We are all ordinary people, we are not millionaires or businessmen. What do we want? To live in peace. And what obstacles us? There is no confidence, and no mutual understanding. I am Azeri. I have studied in a classroom, where there were Georgians and Armenians, Lezgians and Ukrainians, people from different nationalities. We loved each other, and what happened then? What is needed to establish a South Caucasus Union? And I will reply – confidence and mutual understanding. Do you agree?” Khatuna Chapichadze answers the question of the Azeri woman. Khatuna Chapichadze said that she agrees, but first we need to change our relationship to one another. Not correct presentation of the history obstacles us. Sometimes it is very difficult to be neutral and equivalent to your own history. But without it, we would not achieve anything. If Germany would not repent its sins for Nazi, it would not develop. The Azeri woman responded, “How can we, the Azeri people, trust Armenians, if they have captured our lands. Should they return our lands, this union will occur.” In addition, at previous public hearings in Tekali, S. Kasumov had stated that etymology of the word Karabakh allegedly proves that it is an Azerbaijani territory.
Voskan SARGSYAN
