Armenia must recognize the 1988-1994 massacres of Armenians in Azerbaijan as genocide, an Armenian parliamentarian stated.

As Heritage party member Larisa Alaverdyan told a news conference, official recognition is essential to make the perpetrators responsible, as well as give a specific status to Armenian refugees.

As she stressed, Azerbaijan must compensate both moral and material losses of the refugees.

Mrs. Alaverdyan dwelled on unresolved housing issues of the refugees, also stressing that Shahumyan region, villages of Martunashen and Getashen must be returned to NKR. The parliamentarian remindend that the Supreme Council of the Armenian SSR recognized the Sumgait massacres as genocide, however, the Armenian parliament hasn’t done this so far.