AZERBAIJAN READY FOR KARABAKH WAR, MP TELLS ARMENIAN DAILY

Aykakan Zhamanak, Yerevan
8 Jun 06

Azerbaijani MP Musa Quliyev has said that he regarded war as the
last option for the settlement of the long-standing dispute between
Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagornyy Karabakh. In an interview with
Armenian Aykakan Zhamanak daily, Quliyev added that Azerbaijan was
ready for war. If the incumbent Armenian president fails to agree
with Azerbaijan on a solution to the conflict, Baku will wait for
the next Armenian president, Quliyev said. The MP also said that he
did not regard Armenia as his motherland although he was born and
brought up there. The following is the text of Naira Zograbyan’s
report by Armenian newspaper Aykakan Zhamanak on 8 June headlined
"We are ready for war"; subheadings have been inserted editorially:

An interview with a member of the Milli Maclis [Azerbaijani parliament;
from the ruling New Azerbaijan Party], Musa Quliyev.

[Aykakan Zhamanak correspondent] Mr Quliyev, you were born in the
Sisian Region of Armenia. For how long did you live there?

"Armenia is not my motherland"

[Musa Quliyev] I was born in the Urut village of Sisian Region and
went to a secondary school in Sisian. My parents lived in Urut till
1988. I lived there until I was 17, then I studied in Baku, but spent
my holidays in Urut for 10 years.

[Correspondent] Do you think Armenia is your motherland in a sense?

[Quliyev] I do not think Armenia is my motherland even though I was
born and brought up there.

[Correspondent] When you arrived in Armenia you immediately visited
your native village Urut. Did you meet your kith and kin or neighbours
there?

[Quliyev] What kith and kin or neighbours do you mean? Even the graves
of my father and grandmother were destroyed. What are you talking
about? Of course, I found my house where an old man lives nowadays. He
was quite friendly. I gave him a gift. We had a talk. In Sisian deputy
of your parliament Ovik Azoyan met me. Our parents used to be friends
for many years. But I say again that I could not find my father’s grave
as the Azerbaijani cemetery of Urut has been absolutely demolished.

[Correspondent] You lived in Armenia for many years. Do you not feel
nostalgic for our country?

[Quliyev] I do not feel nostalgic for Armenia, I just miss my native
village Urut.

Azeri public do not justify Ramil Safarov

[Correspondent] Mr Quliyev, you were moving freely in Armenia, nothing
threatened your security, you were not met with anti-Azerbaijani
actions or slogans. Why is anti-Armenian hysteria immediately raised
when an Armenian delegation arrives in your country?

[Quliyev] What should they do – shoot a deputy? As for our attitude to
Armenian delegations, here the problem is different. Our territories
are occupied, there is a large number of refugees and naturally people
feel differently.

If you speak about intolerance, I lived in Armenia and know who
is tolerant and how tolerant they are. We were regarded here as
second-rate people.

[Correspondent] But were Armenians not regarded as second-rate people
in Azerbaijan?

[Quliyev] You should ask Azerbaijani Armenians about that.

[Correspondent] You did not forget to mention the occupied territories
and refugees. But there is history which says that Karabakh as well
as the territories which you consider to be your motherland are
Armenian territories.

[Quliyev] Your history says so.

[Correspondent] Azerbaijani Ramil Safarov who killed Armenian officer
Gurgen Markaryan [at NATO courses in Budapest in February 2004]
was named the person of the year in Azerbaijan. Do you think it is
normal in the 21st century for people to name a murderer the person
of the year?

[Quliyev] Safarov was not named the person of the year. Your
information is false. There were some public organizations which
suggested supporting Safarov, but Azerbaijan has never officially
named him the person of the year. He was not called a hero.

[Correspondent] As an individual can you justify Safarov’s action? What
do the Azerbaijani public think about the murder?

[Quliyev] I myself do not justify his action. A man may be killed
only at war or in accordance with a court verdict. As for the view
of the Azerbaijani public, clever people and politicians believe that
it was a wrong action.

[Correspondent] Does it mean that you agree with the life sentence
for Safarov?

[Quliyev] Nevertheless, I think that the punishment was severe. He
could have been sentenced to 15 to 25 years if the murder had not
been given political colour.

Azerbaijan ready for Karabakh war

[Correspondent] Mr Quliyev, how do you assess the latest meeting of
the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents? Do you share the [OSCE Minsk
Group] co-chairs’ optimism that 2006 may be a critical year for the
Karabakh conflict settlement?

[Quliyev] I assess positively the meeting of the two presidents and I
think that there is still a chance to settle the conflict peacefully,
such meetings are necessary.

[Correspondent] You speak about a peaceful settlement to the conflict
whereas Azerbaijan makes bellicose statements from time to time at
a very high level.

[Quliyev] You forget that not Armenian but Azerbaijani territories are
occupied. I regard war as the last option for the conflict settlement
and we are ready for it.

[Correspondent] Do you share the view that Armenians and Azerbaijanis
are genetically incompatible?

[Quliyev] There is no such incompatibility. We are neighbours and
are forced to live next to each other. We simply have to find the
formula of peaceful coexistence.

[Correspondent] Finding that formula depends on the Karabakh issue,
but the parties cannot agree their positions. As a deputy of the
Milli Maclis, how do you see a settlement to the Karabakh conflict?

[Quliyev] One thing is indisputable – Karabakh is Azerbaijani land and
the conflict should be settled within the framework of international
norms.

[Correspondent] But nations’ right to self-determination is also an
international norm. Does that mean that you agree that the Karabakh
people may be independent on their territory?

[Quliyev] We have put forward our position clearly: the Karabakh
conflict should be settled according to international norms, and
within the framework of those norms, Azerbaijan is ready to give
Karabakh a high level of autonomy.

[Correspondent] But the Armenian president declared clearly that
Karabakh and Armenia will not agree to any level of autonomy.

[Quliyev] If they do not agree, let me say in jest, we shall wait
for the next president.

[Correspondent] Nevertheless, you forget a very important detail:
Armenia won the war and one should take this into account.

[Quliyev] Armenia did not win the war, it won a battle. These are
different things.