In 1993, the UN Security Council called for Armenian forces to cease their attacks on and occupation of a number of Azerbaijani regions.

The blood donation took place in Azerbaijani regions at initiative of the Health Ministry.

"Every Azerbaijani region of Armenia is a little Sumgait."

Critics allege that the autonomous Azerbaijani region has fostered a culture of impunity among its security forces, which have been known to use excessive force against opponents of the ruling regime.

The editor said Soviet troops had already evacuated 500 Armenians from the Azerbaijani region of Nakhichevan, also the scene of violence this week.

The resolution states in particular, that "the occupied Azerbaijani regions around Nagorno-Karabakh must be cleared as soon as possible".

Hajibeyli also showed the phonetic features of Karabakh dialect and its typical features and compares them with dialects from other Azerbaijani regions.

At least 120 people have been killed in the past two years in clashes between Armenians and Azeris over the disputed Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

They had already taken de facto control in a number of Azerbaijani regions.

In Nakhichevan, an Azerbaijani region bordering on Iran, crowds overpowered the border police and tore down fences, demanding free passage to visit relatives on the Iranian side of the border.