Day.Az, Azerbaijan
Oct 12 2007

PRO-ARMENIAN MOVES OF US CONGRESS STALL KARABAKH PEACE – AZERI MP

Interview with MP Asim Mollazada, a member of the parliamentary
standing commission for foreign and inter-parliamentary relations.

[Correspondent] What do you think might be the consequences of the
adoption by the US Congress of a resolution recognizing "the genocide
of Armenians"?

[Mollazada] I think the chances of this resolution being passed are
very high. Therefore, I share the opinions of both Mr Bush and Ms
Rice that this document, if it is approved, would deal a blow to US
interests and the national security of that country. A group of
congressmen, first of all, the speaker of the House of
Representatives put the interests of one ethnic group above the
national interests of the USA. Naturally, such actions seriously
damage US relations with its allies, and therefore, I can predict
that such a policy by Congress will have big negative consequences.

[Correspondent] Could such a step affect relations between the USA
and Azerbaijan?

[Mollazada] I do not think there might be some direct negative
consequences. But I hope that given this situation, Azerbaijan has to
resort to all available mechanisms and initiatives in connection with
the current situation and make every effort to draft a bill on real
genocide committed by Armenians against Azerbaijanis in the town of
Xocali [in 1992] in Nagornyy Karabakh. Instead of discussing mythical
events of the distant past, US congressmen should assess the real
genocide and ethnic cleansing perpetrated by Armenians against
Azerbaijanis nowadays.

[Correspondent] What about the Karabakh settlement? Will the
one-sided approach of the US congressmen to the events in our region
influence the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict?

[Mollazada] Undoubtedly, I do not expect anything positive to this
effect. Similar documents and actions are an extra stimulus for
Armenia to continue successfully torpedoing the negotiations [on the
Karabakh settlement]. Enjoying the support of lobby groups in
Congress and other legislative bodies of foreign countries, Armenia
gets an opportunity to put a further brake on the process of
resolving the Karabakh problem.

[Correspondent] Could Congress, bearing all these in mind, review its
biased position on the events of the early 20th century, and if not,
could such a decision affect Washington’s foreign policy?

[Mollazada] We at least hope that the US will take an impartial
approach, take account of the positions of other sides, and most
importantly, the great damage that this step inflicts on the
interests of the USA itself.

[Correspondent] Is the Milli Maclis standing parliamentary commission
for international and inter-parliamentary relations planning to react
to the action of their US colleagues in some way?

[Mollazada] In this connection, I think it necessary to establish
contacts with the US legislators and carry out work with the members
of the friendship group with Azerbaijan. It is also important that
for its part, Turkey also supports this and make active use of its
opportunities in Congress to ensure that certain changes or a
separate resolution on this document are adopted if this pro-Armenian
resolution is passed.