Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
October 6, 2006 Friday

PRESSURE ON ILHAM ALIYEV IS INCREASING;
Effectiveness of Karabakh talks questioned in Baku

by Sohbet Mamedov

PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV IS URGED TO SEND AN ARMY TO LIBERATE THE
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES; Azerbaijani hawks demand a military solution to
the Karabakh problem. The authorities are coming to see it as the
only option.

Chairmen of the OSCE Minsk group for Karabakh conflict resolution
came to Baku yesterday when the Russian-Georgian relations were at
their all-time low, the crisis fomented by the situation with
Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In Azerbaijan itself, dissatisfaction is
mounting concerning the Europeans’ efforts as mediators. Voices in
Baku urge President Ilham Aliyev to send an army to liberate the
occupied territories. Promoters of this solution refer to the lack of
results in the negotiations dragging out for over a decade already
and to sharply-worded statements made by official Yerevan. Telling
Al-Jazeera TV-station the other day, "As I see it, relations between
Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh will continue their development and we
will form a federation one fine day. As for the relations between
these two countries, let the future generations decide the matter…"
President of Armenia Robert Kocharjan made Azerbaijani hawks happy.

Made on the eve of OSCE Minsk Group chairmen’s arrival, Kocharjan’s
statement added fuel to the fire and strengthened the positions of
the circles in the Azerbaijani establishment that had never believed
in negotiations. Matthew Bryza of the United States, Yuri Merzlyakov
of Russia, Bernard Faciet of France (three chairmen), and OSCE
Chairman’s Envoy Andrzej Kaspcik met with Foreign Minister Elmar
Mamedjarov and Aliyev himself, yesterday. The meetings took place
with anti-Armenian actions of the opposition unfolding in the
streets. Activists of the non-governmental organization Karabakh
Liberation Organization (KLO) undertook to stage a protest action in
front of the Foreign Ministry when the negotiations were taking place
inside. It made a statement demanding no more visits of OSCE Minsk
Group chairmen to the region as pointless and disbandment of the OSCE
Minsk Group itself. KLO leader Akif Nagi said. "Since the UN General
Assembly is discussing conflicts in GUAM countries, Azerbaijan should
demand that the UN force Armenia to fulfill all four resolutions and
that it contemplate sanctions against Armenia. Azerbaijan should
launch a war and liberate the occupied territories all on its own
otherwise." Practically all parties of the opposition and even some
deputies of the national parliament agree with Nagi.

The possibility of the use of military might as a solution to the
problem is even discussed in official structures of Azerbaijan and
mentioned by Aliyev himself. Azerbaijan has been upping war spending
for years. Defense expenditures in the 2007 budget, will top this
years figure by 26.7%. Already endorsed by the Cabinet, the draft
budget was forwarded to the presidential administration. A source in
the government of Azerbaijan says that sum total of war spending will
reach $900 million ($200 million more than in 2006).

Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, October 3, 2006, p. 6

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress