RASUL GULIEV – THE LEADING AZERBAIJANI OPPOSITIONIST WHO LOST TWICE

Axis News
Oct 17 2005

Asim Oku, AIA Turkish and Caucasian section

The leader of Azerbaijan’ s opposition Democratic Party of Azerbaijan
Rasul Guliyev’s plans to end his nine-year exile in the USA and to
return to Azerbaijan to take part in the country’s parliamentary
elections caused serious tensions. In the capital of Azerbaijan,
police have blocked access to the city’s airport and said it will
arrest Guliev if he enters the country. He knew about that, and
claimed in an interview with the Azeri service of the BBC, he does
not fear arrest. “I come to fight for victory in the parliamentary
elections. My goal is to fight dictatorship, corruption and monopolies
in Azerbaijan.” However, his glorious homecoming turned into a farce
as at the last minute he got cold legs and decided not to come back,
but to stop in Ukraine. He refused to continue the flight on the
chartered plane. And there, at Simferopol’s airport he was arrested
by Ukrainian law enforcement, for he is on the international wanted
list. Guliev was detained at the request of Azerbaijani authorities,
which seek his extradition, the press secretary of Ukraine’s interior
Minister said. So he lost twice – he didn’t manage to get home and
got arrested anyway. And his supporters, who were ready to fight for
him with the Azerbaijani security services, known for their brutality,
are very disappointed.

“I urge the Azerbaijani authorities to avoid any oppression (of
civil rights) and I call on the nation to stage civil unrest against
violations of human rights,” Rasul Guliev said in an October 11
telephone conference call scheduled by the Committee for the Protection
of his rights. The people were ready but the leader failed them. Who
is this man and was he worth fighting for in the first place?

A Close Friend and the Harsh Foe of Heydar Aliev

Guliev is married and has two sons and a daughter. He was born in
1948 in Nakhichevan in a southeast of Azerbaijan, as well as Heydar
Aliyev. Since 1962, after graduating petro-mechanical faculty of the
Azerbaijan institute of oil and chemistry (today – Azerbaijan State
Oil Academy (ASOA), he worked at the Baky Oil Refinery. Has made
there an outstanding career – from the ordinary engineer up to the
general director. He is a candidate of Technical Science.

In 1990 year he was elected the Member of the Supreme Soviet of
Azerbaijan, and then, after Azerbaijan gaining independence, the
Member of National Parliament. Together with the opposition he
struggled against the regime of the President Ayaz Mutalibov.

At the beginning of the Nineties he contacted with Heydar Aliyev – the
former head of the KGB in Azerbaijan and the Member of the Political
Bureau. At the beginning of 1993, some months prior to revolution
as a result of which Aliyev came to power, Guliev received a post
of vice-president of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijani Republic
(SOCAR), and later became the vice-Premier of Azerbaijan.

After his coming to power Aliyev appointed Guliev the chairman of
the Parliament.

In November, 1995 he was again elected to the Parliament, and again
held a post of the chairman.

Owing to the deterioration of relations with Heydar Aliyev in
September, 1996 Rasul Guliev abandoned the post “because of the health
problems” and leaves for the USA “for medical treatment”.

Already being in America he accused Aliyev and his coterie of
corruption, clanning and lawlessness. He issued three books in which
sharply criticized the ruling elite of Azerbaijan. (“Oil And Politics”,
“Path To Democracy” and “Purpose Of Our Struggle”.) At the end of
1997 under the decision of the Azerbaijani Parliament Guliev was
deprived of parliamentary immunity; criminal proceeding against him
was instituted. Guliev was accused that being in 1990-95 the director
of the Baku Oil Refinery he defalcated $107 million.

In 1998, already being abroad, Guliev was elected the co-chairman
of Democratic Party of Azerbaijan (established in 1992). After the
split of the party in 2000 Rasul Guliev became its only leader.

In the spring of 2005 Democratic Party enters oppositional bloc
“Azadliq”, which includes “Musavat” – “Equality” – the oldest and
the biggest opposition movement led by Isa Gambar, and the Azerbaijan
Popular Front Party (APFP) under the leadership of Ali Kerimli.

On August, 27, 2005, Guliev was registered by the Central Electoral
Committee as the candidate to the Parliament. After this in connection
with his statements on his return to Azerbaijan the Office of Public
Prosecutor of Azerbaijan issued an arrest warrant on him.

An Oppositionist or a Crook?

Guliev is rightfully considered to be the largest independent
Azerbaijani oligarch. Presumably, he gained his fortune at the
beginning of the Nineties by reselling oil abroad under cover of
“waste products,” when he headed Baku’s Refinery. He is extremely
ambitious and combines features of speculator and master of secret
intrigue. Being a director of the largest factory in republic and
vice-President of SOCAR, he actively influenced the policy of the first
two Azerbaijani governments, and Presidents Ayaz Mutalibov and Abulfaz
Elchibey. He used his financial opportunities and connections to assist
Heydar Aliyev’s coming to power and in 1993-96 became actually, despite
of a puppet post of the chairman of the Parliament, the second person
in the country after the President. However, it was insufficient for
ambitious magnate, and he made unsuccessful attempt to push Aliyev
aside from authority, and was compelled to flee the country.

Overthrown by Aliyev Abulfaz Elchibey openly accused Guliev of
treachery. “Rasul, you have knocked me down,” he declared, addressing
Guliev, who was already over the ocean.

The political program of Democratic Party is rather dim. Except for
appeals to “democracy and free economy”, Guliev did not define his
position on key questions for Azerbaijan, such as social problems,
strengthening of Islamic tendencies, and, most important, the Karabakh
question – an integral part of all political programs in Azerbaijan.

Towards the authorities he takes extremely radical position, demanding
from opposition a “revolutionary” – that is violent actions to
overthrow the regime. He asserts that the establishment of democracy
in the republic is possible only by applying force.

Main electorate of Guliev consists of the natives from Nakhichevan.

During all his political activity Guliev constantly changed allies
and views concerning the methods of political struggle. Being a short
time partner of Elchibey, he demanded to exclude from the Popular
Front of Azerbaijan (PFA) the “Yurd” – (Homeland) youth organization
led by Ali Kerimli. Guliev accused Kerimli of cooperation with
authorities. Today Kerimli is a partner of Guliev in “Azadliq” –
the largest oppositional bloc.

At the end of the Nineties he rejected the idea of creation of the
bloc of oppositional forces, sharply criticizing the oldest and
largest opposition party “Musavat”, however, before the presidential
elections in October, 2003, he declared of his support to Isa Gambar,
and in the spring 2005, he joined the “Azadliq” bloc.

Guliev’s Strange Choice Of Actions

At the initial stage Rasul Guliev received the US support, however,
because of a scandal around his financial swindles and unpredictable
changes in his political views and constant changing of political
allies Washington began to distance from him.

As the General Prosecutor of Azerbaijan Zakir Garalov stated “Claims
that the US will support Guliev are mere “political speculation”.

This may be the reason for such a strange behavior of Guliev. As the
AIA sources in Baku reported, his decision to come back home was not
coordinated with the US authorities.

He planned it with the other opposition leaders, who, after his
arrest by the Azerbaijani security would have publicly turned to
the USA demanding to support “the leading democratic leader”, and
to pressure Baku’s regime on his release. Of course in the case of
success his chances to win the elections would have skyrocketed,
for the people would see him as the leader, who is backed up by such
a superpower as America.

There are two possibilities, our sources note. The USA didn’t like
the idea to be presented with a fait accompli and actually blackmailed
in a certain way to take rush actions. It seems that Americans do not
consider Guliev as trustworthy ally and true democrat. Somebody, lets
say from the State Department may have hinted Guliev that his trick
will nor work and the Americans will not apply pressure on Baku. Or
there is an option that certain opposition leaders in Azerbaijan
decided to walk away from the plan, considering it unfair, for they
are struggling with the regime for many years and Guliev plans to
use them to gain what they where fighting for a long time.

Anyway, the “homecoming” fiasco may totally hamper not only his chances
at the elections but and cost him a bitter price, for his supporters
fell betrayed.

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