Yeni Musavat, Baku in Azeri
26 Jul 04 p 5

Azeri pundit says government, people should solve problems themselves

Azeri opposition analyst Elxan Mehdiyev has criticized the people for
the current regime in the country. In an interview with Yeni Musavat
newspaper, he blamed the government for the regress in relations with
Turkey and NATO, the reluctance to integrate into NATO and the
dependence on the USA and Russia which has isolated Turkey from the
Karabakh resolution process. But he also added that NATO ignored
Azerbaijan’s Karabakh problem and regarded it as the problem of
Armenia as well. The analyst urged the people and government to
resolve its problems and not to demand that other countries and
international organizations release the occupied lands. The following
is an excerpt from an Elsad Pasasoy report by Azerbaijani newspaper
Yeni Musavat on 26 July headlined “No one has the moral rights to
blame Turkey”, subheaded “Foreigners asked the Azerbaijani expert
where Azerbaijan’s oil dollars are being channelled”, “Elxan
Mehdiyev: ‘Azerbaijan is not ahead of Armenia at all in relations
with NATO'”; subheadings inserted editorially:

The plight of Nagornyy Karabakh and other occupied districts
continues to be a priority which the Azerbaijani public is concerned
about. Our conversation with Elxan Mehdiyev, head of the centre for
peace and conflict resolution [and aide to the opposition Musavat
Party leader], was devoted to this problem. Elxan bay [form of
address] attended the international conference on the new US policy
and NATO’s security policy in the Black Sea basin held in Bucharest
last week.

Mehdiyev delivered a speech on the military and security policy in
the Caucasus at the conference attended by officers and military
security experts from Europe, the Balkans and the US command in
Europe. First, we asked Mehdiyev to tell us about the event.

USA, Russia against Turkey’s dominance in the Caucasus

[Mehdiyev] At the conference, the main attention was devoted to the
Nagornyy Karabakh problem during the discussion of conflicts in the
Caucasus. I said in my speech that Turkey had been artificially
sidelined from the co-chairmanship in the OSCE Minsk Group over this
problem and that the interests of the USA and Russia coincided in
this issue. Because Americans and Russians do not want Turkey to be a
co-chair. Actually, Turkey is directly an integral part of this
conflict and its interests in the resolution of the conflict are
natural. No results were achieved to resolve the problem since Turkey
had been artificially sidelined from the process.

To recap, all sides to the conflict admitted a peace plan drawn up by
Russia, Turkey and the USA in 1993 for the first time in the history
of the conflict. However, the USA is not interested in Turkey’s
mediation. Washington is exerting pressure on Turkey to establish
bilateral ties with Armenia and is trying to distance it from the
Karabakh problem. Armenians also want to have relations with Turkey
in a form in which the Nagornyy Karabakh problem is not taken into
account. They want the problem of Nagornyy Karabakh and other
occupied lands not to be a subject of Turkish-Armenian relations.
It’s clear to us that if Turkey establishes bilateral ties with
Armenia then the Karabakh problem will be put on the back burner.

An interesting situation has arisen. The USA and Russia are against
Turkey’s dominance in the Caucasus.

By establishing full cooperation with the Caucasus countries through
bilateral ties in the military and security spheres, the USA is
making these countries dependent on it.

Azerbaijan, NATO interests do not always coincide

[Correspondent] How do you assess Azerbaijan’s relations with NATO?
Did you include this issue in your speech?

[Mehdiyev] I think that our interests and NATO’s do not coincide
everywhere. Because the number one security issue for us is the
liberation of Azerbaijani lands and the destruction of the Armenian
armed forces which are deployed on this territory. But NATO is
ignoring this issue. In addition, it is developing military
cooperation with aggressor Armenia and Azerbaijan on the same level
and describes the aggression as a problem between the two sides. This
kind of approach to the problem’s resolution strengthens aggressor
Armenia’s position and policy to occupy the lands in the region in a
military way. Therefore, I said if NATO wanted realistic peace in the
Caucasus, then it should have done the same in the Caucasus that it
had done in Yugoslavia. However, I added that I was not so naive to
believe that NATO would bomb Armenia and repeat the Yugoslav events
there. But NATO should at least keep distance from relations with
Armenia and lay down its conditions before this country. It does not
do so. Moreover, it is trying to get Azerbaijan to develop military
cooperation with Armenia. I said Azerbaijan regards such a position
as immoral.

The participants in the event think that it’s Azerbaijan’s problem
that its lands have been occupied over a decade despite the fact that
it has large human and natural resources and no-one should be blamed
for this. I blame no-one as well. But I said peace could be achieved
in the region soon if NATO adhered to a fair position on the problem.
I do not blame international organizations for this like many people
in Azerbaijan.

They unequivocally asked where the oil dollars are being channelled
and why small Armenia is keeping the lands of big Azerbaijan under
occupation. As we know all these funds go into the pockets of clan
members and the regime in Azerbaijan has no plan, wish or will to
liberate the lands. The oil dollars would be useful when they are
used for measures to liberate the occupied lands. The regime’s
representatives have their own problems. The latest statistics show
that Armenia is developing more strongly through different ways and
its economy has reached the highest growth in the CIS. Moreover,
Armenia is modernizing its military forces. But Azerbaijan has not
purchased a single tank over the latest seven or eight years as [late
ex-President] Heydar Aliyev said last year.

[Correspondent] Did you ask the participants in the conference what
is the secret of an equal stance on Azerbaijan, which has taken the
path of integrating into Europe and Armenia, and which is playing the
role of Russia’s puppet?

Azerbaijan not trying to integrate into NATO

[Mehdiyev] Azerbaijan is not actually trying to integrate into NATO
and become a member of this organization. The owners of the regime
have repeatedly stated this and NATO also knows this very well.
Relations with NATO regressed after the dynastic regime was set up.
Because Russia, which has great opportunities of influence on the
dynastic regime, is against Azerbaijan’s close military cooperation
with the USA and NATO. Azerbaijan’s attitude to NATO is indefinite.
Azerbaijan has never resolutely expressed its position on this.
Despite the fact that Heydar Aliyev expressed his position on this
last year, the current regime’s owner has given up this stance and
said that the issue of NATO membership was not on the agenda. The
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry also issued an official statement on
this.

Cooperation which Azerbaijan and Armenia established with NATO is on
the same level and there is no difference. Azerbaijan is not ahead of
Armenia in any index in relations with NATO. Those who say that
Azerbaijan is closer to NATO than Armenia are mistaken. Armenia has
been taking part in all events as well. Armenia hosted NATO’s
large-scale event last year. This event will be held in Baku this
year. It might be held in Armenia next year. Armenia is leading its
policy mainly in line with its interests. It has built up its
relations with NATO to a high level and is developing private
relations with Russia. Armenia is conducting its policy in line with
its interests. But Azerbaijan is continuing its policy to preserve
the regime. Unlike these two countries, Georgia has resolutely
expressed its wish to enter NATO and there is a strong progress in
this sphere. The Georgian army has been fitted to NATO standards and
has great support from the political viewpoint. Azerbaijan is mainly
located in a security vacuum. This country’s policy is a policy of
indefinite security. It is more correct to describe Azerbaijan’s
policy as “the policy preserving the regime” .

[Passage omitted: Ilham Aliyev continues policy of his father just
airing slogans about the liberation of Karabakh, USA not to resolve
the Karabakh conflict]

Cool Azeri-Turkish relations might encourage Armenian-Turkish ties

[Correspondent] We recently witnessed some facts damaging the
relationships with Turkey. Do you think this is a coincidence or a
well thought-out policy against the background of Russia’s
strengthening positions?

[Mehdiyev] The regime does not depend on Turkey. It depends on Russia
and the USA. For this reason, any kind of behaviour might be expected
against Turkey. Naturally, as we mentioned, Russia does not support
Turkey’s strengthening in Azerbaijan.

[Correspondent] Do you think that such cool relations might encourage
Armenian-Turkish relations? Moreover, official Baku has stated that
the opening of the borders will strike a serious blow to the
resolving the problem.

[Mehdiyev] No-one has the moral right to air critical opinions about
Turkey. Turkey closed its borders for 11 years and is waiting. What
did Heydar Aliyev do during this period? Maybe he was involved in
issues pertaining to the construction of certain buildings somewhere
[in Baku] or a petrol station. The Erdogan government will open
borders with Armenia and establish diplomatic ties. This is
inevitable. The opening of the Turkish-Armenian borders will
naturally strengthen Armenia. If Turkey keeps its border closed for
100 years, would Azerbaijan’s lands be liberated just like that? An
interesting psychology of not resolving one’s own problem and blaming
others has appeared in Azerbaijan. They blame everywhere [in
Azerbaijan] the OSCE, the UN, the USA and Russia for not liberating
the lands. It’s a very strange position.

[Passage omitted: Mehdiyev’s cites as an example the struggle of
Bosniaks to liberate their lands]

Azerbaijani people guilty of current situation

[Correspondent] Turkey’s ruling circles have also played a certain
role in the formation of the dynastic regime and from this point of
view this country is partly guilty of the current situation …
[ellipses

[Mehdiyev] The Azerbaijani people who are starving in refugee camps
and simultaneously embracing Ilham Aliyev are guilty.

[Correspondent] Do you expect any political changes in Azerbaijan in
the near future or do you think the current situation will continue
until the next [presidential] elections?

[Mehdiyev] If such a person as [ex-Foreign Minister] Tofiq Qasimov
has left Azerbaijan and gained asylum in a foreign country, then I
ponder the plight of this country. Political processes are not
developing in Azerbaijan. Quite simply, a police regime has been set
up and democratic forces are being subjected to repression and
torture. To speak about any changes is absurd until an atmosphere
appears that encourages political processes.