Azeri public not impressed by journalist’s Karabakh visit
Zerkalo, Baku
23 Feb 05
Excerpt from I. Abbasov’s and R. Mirqadirov’s report by Azerbaijani
newspaper Zerkalo on 23 February headlined “Childish innocence or
treachery?”
The journalist of the Monitor magazine, Eynulla Fatullayev, who
visited the self-styled Nagornyy Karabakh republic (NKR) from 11 to 20
February, has made several sensational statements in an interview with
Zerkalo.
First of all, according to Fatullayev, several Azerbaijani families
live in Xankandi, a town which “our” journalist describes as
Stepanakert [Armenian name]. “There are Azerbaijani families in
Stepanakert and Askeran. In fact, they live quite well. There are
about 10-15 families in Stepanakert and 10 in Askeran. I interviewed
them for the Monitor magazine. For instance, I was a guest at the
house of the Askeran district resident, Tofiq Rasulov. He was born in
Ucar District [central Azerbaijan], but his family moved to Askeran in
the 1960s. Because of the known developments in 1989-1990, he
returned to Ucar, but couldn’t live there and returned. His family and
he himself live quiet and normal lives there,” Fatullayev said.
“The Karabakh Armenians are in favour of restoring normal relations
with us, which wouldn’t differ much from what we had before. However,
it is impossible to restore Nagornyy Karabakh’s status because a lot
of blood has been shed. However, Fatullayev thinks that if Azerbaijan
works with the Karabakh Armenians, it might be possible to talk them
into establishing horizontal relations within the Azerbaijani state.
“I met government officials. I had a five-hour meeting with the
Nagornyy Karabakh president, Arkadiy Gukasyan. I see that they are
ready for a constructive dialogue and that it will be possible to
reach an understanding with these people,” Fatullayev said.
He said he had seen quite a few newly-built houses in Xankandi.
“Stepanakert has been completely rebuilt. It has a population of
30,000-40,000 people. I spent three days in Lacin [Lachin] and can say
that 80 per cent of the district centre has already been restored. It
has a population of 5,000 people. The construction of new houses is in
full swing near the Armenian church in Susa [Shusha]. The town is home
mainly to the Armenians from Sumqayit and Baku. The Armenians have
almost completely restored the town of Xocali and renamed it
Ivanovka,” Fatullayev said.
The leaders of the “NKR” told the journalist that the settlement of
Lacin and Kalbacar was a state policy, while representatives of the
Dashnaktsutyun Party said the same was taking place in Qubadli. Also,
if what Fatullayev says is true, our media lie when they say that the
Armenians are desecrating Azerbaijani cemeteries. The journalist did
not discover anything to prove that.
[Passage omitted: reported details of the visit]
So this is the story. Even the “most ardent” orator known for his
patriotic statements and the leader of the Karabakh Liberation
Organization, Akif Nagi, did not respond to Fatullayev’s remarks
immediately. He said Fatullayev has simply forgotten that he is
Azerbaijani, while the journalist described Nagi’s statement as a
“figment of his diseased imagination”.
Rights activist Eldar Zeynalov, who cannot be described as a patriot
and who has also repeatedly visited Nagornyy Karabakh, has told
Zerkalo that “if Azerbaijani families really live in Karabakh, it is
not clear why the Armenians have not taken advantage of that”.
[Passage to end omitted: minor details]