AZG Armenian Daily #121, 01/07/2005
Neighbors
‘RELOCATION OF RUSSIAN MILITARY EQUIPMENT FROM GEORGIA TO ARMENIA IS
RUSSIA’S CONCERN’
Albright Visits Baku after Erdogan
According to Mediamax agency, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish PM, stated
in Baku that relocation of military equipment from Georgia to Armenia
is the inner concern of Russia. “Russia has the right. The issue of
relocating Russian military equipment doesn’t concern Turkey,” he said.
“As for the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh issue, Turkey always
supported and will support Azerbaijan. Turkey is for settling the
conflict by means of dialogue but the settlement is connected with
returning the occupied territories,” Erdogan said.
Aliyev and Erdogan signed a joint statement, based on the results
of the negotiations that defines the primary directions for further
political, economic and cultural development. The Azeri and Turkish
mass media conditions the visit of Erdogan to Baku by democratic
processes within the country.
Turkish Daily News stated that “PM Erdogan’s visit to Baku before the
parliamentary elections is considered as a means to send a message
to Aliyev’s administration. Turkish government envisaged this visit
before the parliamentary elections, in order to avert the impression
that the visit was a sign of support to Aliyev’s administration.”
The Azeri press doesn’t exclude that the U.S. have given key role to
Turkey in the course of the parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan,
just like Washington did that in case of Poland during the days of
the revolution in Ukraine. Zerkalo stated that the leaders of three
leading parties Ali Kerimli, Isa Gambar and Sardar Jalaloghli visited
Turkey in quite a short period of time. “One can suppose that the
Turkish side has undertaken a mediator’s mission between the official
Baku and the opposition,” the newspaper wrote.
In general, if lately, the Turkish press doesn’t often mention the
friendly relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey, the Azeri press
sometimes displays obvious hostility concerning Turkey and the ruling
party of Islamists. Thus, on the eve of Erdogan’s visit to Baku,
some of the newspapers reminded of the failed coup d’etat in 1995,
when Turkish military circles participated in its organization.
By the way, Rino Harnish, U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan, told the
journalists that in July Madlen Albright, former U.S. State Secretary,
is going to arrive in Azerbaijan. It’s wroth reminding that at present,
Mrs. Albright leads the American National Democratic Institute that is
also engaged in supporting revolution in the former Soviet republics.
Harnish stated that Albright will arrive to Baku to receive guarantees
from Ilham Aliyev that the parliamentary elections in November will
be free, transparent and just.
It is expected that President Aliyev will sign a decree on appointing
the day of the elections. Zerkalo called these elections the
most important in the history of Azerbaijan. On the other hand,
the commentator of the newspaper stated that notwithstanding the
external pressure carried out by the CE, the OSCE and the U.S., the
authorities made no serious concessions in the issue of appointing
members to the electoral committee in the new Electoral Code. The only
thing the opposition can do is to hold rallies after the elections,
which is something very common in the post-Soviet area recently.
Obviously, Azerbaijan is in the center of the international
communities’ attention. Ilham Aliyev receives definite hints saying
that if he doesn’t get rid of “the old guards” of the governing
system and doesn’t secure just elections, very serious challenges
are awaiting for him.
“Wall Street Journal” wrote in its July 17 issue that youth
organizations are created in Azerbaijan, as in Ukraine and Georgia that
play a key role in provoking “colored revolutions.” “Yokh,” students’
organization and “October 16 Movement” are already announcing about
the changes envisaged in autumn.
By Tatoul Hakobian
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress