At UN court, Armenia accuses Azerbaijan of ethnic hatred

By MIKE CORDER
Associated Press

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Armenia is accusing neighboring Azerbaijan of systematically promoting ethnic hatred against Armenia citizens as the two nations that fought a six-week war last year face off at a U.N. court. Armenian representative Yeghishe Kirakosyan made the accusation Thursday as a hearing opened at the International Court of Justice. Armenia has asked the court to impose urgent interim measures to prevent Azerbaijan breaching an international convention to stamp out ethnic discrimination. The case stems from longstanding enmity that boiled over into last year’s war over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh that left more than 6,600 people dead. Kirakosyan said Armenia “seeks to prevent and remedy the cycle of violence and hatred perpetrated against ethnic Armenians.”