AZERI ACADEMICIAN UPBEAT ABOUT VISITS TO BREAKAWAY KARABAKH, ARMENIA

Day, Azerbaijan
July 9 2007

Academician Kamal Abdulla has called for the promotion of contacts
between Azerbaijanis and Armenians to finally resolve the Karabakh
conflict. In an interview with Day.az news agency, Abdulla shared
his impressions of the visits to Azerbaijani separatist region of
Karabakh, and Armenia by a group of intelligentsia representatives
where they had discussions on how to resolve the conflict. Abdulla
believes that we are "doomed to coexistence by God and history"
and therefore, everything should be done to settle the conflict by
peace means to avoid war. The following is the text of his interview
with C. Ali entitled "Kamal Abdulla: ‘Azerbaijanis and Armenians are
doomed to coexistence by God and history. This is our mission and we
should be ready for it’"; published on the Day.az website on 5 July;
subheadings have been inserted editorially:

A Day.az interview with Prof Kamal Abdulla, the rector of the Baku
Slavonic University (BSU), corresponding member of the Azerbaijani
Academy of National Sciences and honoured worker of science.

[Correspondent] Kamal muallim [mode of address], after your visits
to Nagornyy Karabakh and Armenia, there are again many talk about a
big role of people’s diplomacy in settling the Karabakh problem. What
can you say on its potential in settling the conflict in the wake of
your latest mission?

[Abdulla] I think that any alternative form of diplomacy in the long
run serves to our main line based on the will of the Azerbaijani people
and the political leadership of the country. Any step in this direction
should be welcomed since every single man should work within his or
her powers. Politicians should do their job, leaders their own and
intellectuals should also seek ways out of this situation. In the end,
all these will be part of our common search and opportunities.

Positive mood

[Correspondent] Although the trip was brief, nevertheless, you felt
the mood of the Armenians. Do you consider that the Armenian community
of Nagornyy Karabakh is ready for open dialogue?

[Abdulla] I can say that those people we met are completely ready.

Because the war, the actual state of affairs have already bored
everyone and everybody is looking for ways of breaking this deadlock.

Undoubtedly, I cannot speak on behalf of all but those whom I saw
and contacted are ready.

Above all, this contact was established without any intermediaries.

It is also important that this contact contemplated our crossing
to Nagornyy Karabakh exactly through the Azerbaijani soil, in other
words, we went from one part of our land to another part, and it was
not from Tbilisi, Moscow or from somewhere else but from Barda, from
where we went directly to Xankandi [Stepanakert]. If someone else can,
let them also go.

[Correspondent] Other members of the trip speak about the possibility
of continuing cooperation between Azerbaijanis and Armenians even
they suggest specific forms. As the rector of the BSI, do you assume
the possibility of adjusting such contacts, say, in the sphere of
education?

[Abdulla] Any further effective contacts should take place once all
the problems are tackled. We did not discuss any political moments, the
possibility of adopting any declaration there. We simply communicated
with them. We pursued the purpose of understanding whether we can
speak the same language and if we can ever understand one another.

My understanding of "some time ever" means a complete solution to
the problem: after the liberation of the seven [occupied Azerbaijani]
districts and the establishment of Azerbaijan’s political and state
control over Nagornyy Karabakh. It is essential to know if there are
forces with whom we can later start speak about life, construction
and restoration. This was the kernel of the trip.

[Correspondent] Are there such forces?

[Abdulla] I think there are.

Armenian leader backs coexistence with Azerbaijanis

[Correspondent] Armenian President Robert Kocharyan once said from
a high tribune that the peoples of Azerbaijan and Armenia cannot
coexist in principle. What would your reaction be to that statement
of the Armenian president after the visit?

[Abdulla] He spoke absolutely the opposite at the meeting with us
that our peoples should finally coexist. After all, none of them will
go to another planet or another part of the globe. We are doomed to
coexistence by God and history. This is our mission and we have to
be ready for it. By saying "we", I mean the Azerbaijani citizens
of Armenian origin living in Nagornyy Karabakh and we saw that in
principle they can be ready for it, and the citizens of Azerbaijan –
the Azerbaijani population of Nagornyy Karabakh. Therefore, by any
means – naturally, it is important that this means is peaceful –
we will liberate our lands.

So, what shall we do once Azerbaijan fully restores its authority
there? How shall we communicate each other? Will the communication
take place at all? Will there be people understanding everything what
will take place? After all we cannot tell the Armenians that you have
to leave as we have restored our authority here. Can we say this?!

Can any political leader ever say this?! Certainly, not. We have to
return to the system which existed before the confrontation.

Therefore, it is necessary to find out the degree of our readiness
to talk with one another.

I do not even want to answer those sharp but at the same time
irrational remarks on inadmissibility of such contacts and so on.

What is to be done? To avoid dialogue in order to make this problem
exist further so that those "gentlemen" continue to get their grants?

Many ready for contacts with Armenians

[Correspondent] You said the Armenian side is ready for dialogue. Now I
would like to learn your opinion about the readiness of the Azerbaijani
public. At a news conference in Baku on the results of the visits
to Karabakh and Armenia, you yourself witnessed that so far not
all representatives of the Azerbaijani public view such contacts
positively. Do you think the Azerbaijani society is ready for this?

[Abdulla] As a whole, it is ready. This is obvious for those people
who call me, send telegrams and give their views in support of the
mission. The vast majority is ready and supports this mission.

Naturally, there are those who disagree but disagreement should,
in my view, be expressed within the limits of certain ethic norms.

Regrettably, there are people who like to go beyond those limits
without thinking that they might be asked: Who are the judges then?

You have no right to judge others. One should do better. I think that
this communication, which we managed with the representatives of the
Armenian intelligentsia, should be developed. Maybe, others will go
in future. Incidentally, there are already many people who express
such a will.

You know so many people call me and tell me about their desire to visit
Karabakh and propose that such a trip be arranged. They are residents
of Susa, in general, representatives of Karabakh and refugees from
Armenia, Baku residents, friends, acquaintances and even those who
do not know me at all. To put it differently, there are many people
who support us. However, unfortunately they are often inert and
unresponsive. Those who are active and responsive are few.

An Azerbaijani saying goes: that’s his guilty conscience speaking.

Regrettably, this happens sometimes.

I believe in wisdom of my people and both in wisdom of our earnest
and genuine journalists and analysts. We were told there that we will
have a bad time when going back home, they said that "your folk will
attack you, blame you for all faults". I told them this would not
happen as our people would understand everything and support us.

I think that we did it right and my belief in this is based on the
support I am receiving.