NIZAMI BAHMANOV: KASPSHIK IS ACTIVE NOT TO LOSE HIS HIGH POST AND SALARY

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Aug. 22, 2006

"Personal representative of OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzei Kaspshik
preferred observing during his activity. Between nearly 150 and 200
servicemen and civilians were killed on the front before but Kaspshik
has never reported anything about that.

We do not know what he report to OSCE," said Nizami Bahmanov, head
of Azerbaijani community of Garabagh while commenting on Kaspshik’s
report on the arsons committed in the occupied Azerbaijani lands.

"According to Kaspshik, there is neither any aggressor nor sufferer.

He has always taken this stance. The Azerbaijani government has voiced
its position regarding his report and raised this issue at the UN,"
Bahmanov said.

He also said after seeing Azerbaijan’s sharp reaction, Kaspshik made
some corrections to his position saying he is not an expert on fires,
"He says he is not an ecologist but engineer. Let him be an engineer
then." Bahmanov also said following Azerbaijan’s severe reaction,
Kaspshik has become more active.

"He knows well that his future activity, his remaining in the current
post depends on Azerbaijan. Kaspshik is active not to lose his high
post and salary. He advocates setting up expert group to monitor the
region," the Azerbaijani community head underlined.

Bahmanov said Kaspshik’s stance coincides with that of OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairs.

"The co-chairs do not make any remark to Armenia. But, culprits
should be held responsible. Since the co-chairs do not admit that
Armenians have occupied Azerbaijani lands, what can you expect them to
do? Azerbaijan is facing such a difficult problem today. Though the
co-chairs see the crimes committed by Armenians, they say exerting
pressure to any of the parties is not in their mission.

Kaspshik says the fires in Garabagh are just natural disaster. Is
the fire in Tovuz natural disaster too? Is it also hot in Kalbajar
and other mountain regions?" he underlined.

Accusing the co-chairs of passivity, Bahmanov said Azerbaijan has
not offered to reconsider their authorities and functions.

"The negotiating process for the settlement of the Nagorno Garabagh
continues in the frames of the Prague process, which satisfies us.

But Azerbaijan is dissatisfied with the co-chairs keeping silence,
avoiding to make any remark to the aggressor in the frames of this
step-by-step solution," he said.

Commenting on the issue with regard to expected substitution of Russian
co-chair Yuri Merzlyakov, Bahmanov said he does not expect any change
in the new co-chair’s stance, "There is no point in substituting
co-chair. The main thing is the Russian government’s changing its
position."