EKHO, Azerbaijan
Feb. 22, 2008

Can Azerbaijan start actions against PKK bases?

by R. Orucov

Defence Ministry for the first time speaks about Kurdish terrorists
in the country’sterritory

One of the most remarkable news of the recent days was the Defence
Ministry’s official statement in which theministry says openly about
the presence of representatives of the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’
Party (PKK) in theoccupied territories of our country.

[Passage omitted: reported statement of the Defence Ministry]

It is interesting what did force the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry for
the first time openly admit facts that publicorganizations have been
speaking about for a long time? And if supporters and representatives
of the KurdistanWorkers’ Party are being settled en masse in
Azerbaijan’s seized lands, does this mean that prospects ofreturning
them [lands] under the state’s control become even more remote?

Officials raise PKK problem

Well-known political analyst Mubariz Ahmadoglu says that indeed
various representatives of official Baku haverecently very frequently
spoke about the presence of PKK bases in the occupied territories.
"Even such ahigh-ranking official as Deputy Prime Minister Ali
Hasanov, who is very cautious in his remarks. It is known that
thisclever and restrained man always knows what he says. And even he
says that time has come to defend the rights ofAzerbaijani citizens
originating from the occupied territories from the resettlement of
Kurds that is taking place. Ali Hasanov is the head of the state
committee for refugees and IDP and speaks as though on their behalf.
That was said bythe official who has proved himself as a balanced,
imposing man who cannot be accused of duplicity. Hasanov said that
itis time to return [liberate] the [occupied] lands in order to
escape even worse consequences of what is going on. Inaddition, the
head of the Azerbaijani community of Nagornyy Karabakh, Nizami
Bahmanov, also said that time for carrying out an antiterrorist
operation in the occupied territories was approaching. They openly
spoke about the danger of theresettlement of PKK supporters. Deputy
Foreign Minister Araz Azimov is now dealing with the issue. During
recent talkswith US Acting Coordinator for Counterterrorism Frank
Urbancic, Azimov said that ‘borders of the PKK’sactivity is
approaching Azerbaijan’. And the statement by the Defence Ministry
press service also shows clearlythat Azerbaijan is very seriously
inclined concerning the need to struggle against the appearance of
the bases ofKurdish terrorists in our occupied territories. I also
would like to remind that a remark by the Chief of the TurkishGeneral
Staff, Yasar Buyukanit, who said literally six weeks ago that ‘we
will fight the PKK not only in northernIraq but in all the other
adjoining regions’. In general, I think that the circle is getting
narrow ratherswiftly."

Baku may start operations against PKK bases

The issues is very sensitive for the leadership of Armenia, the
expert said. "As soon as the Azerbaijani pressraises the topic of PKK
bases in the occupied territories or in Armenia itself, the opposing
side immediately rebuffs atvarious levels. Even the Armenian
parliament makes statements, not to mention their political analysts
– they vie witheach other in saying that there are no Kurdish bases
in their territory. But responsiveness to the issue can be seen in
Baku as well. Proceeding from this I suppose that some real actions
can begin in months to come. If previously official Baku was trying
to avoid the topic, now the topic is being raised at a high level.
That speaks to the reality of things that are going on in our
occupied lands. Ali Hasanov’s statement alone is noteworthy. He could
not make thisstatement without coordinating it with the presidential
staff and the Foreign Ministry. Thus, something is in theair."

Ahmadoglu does not agree with the opinion that the resettlement of
Kurds and the appearance of PKK bases inAzerbaijani territory
aggravate the problem of the liberation of these lands. "Probably, it
seems to Armenians thatthe situation is that they can achieve
something by populating the lands by Kurdish separatists. I think the
opposite.The fact that the negotiating process [for Nagornyy
Karabakh] is not going on normally and Baku accuses Yerevan in
itsremarks concerning PKK bases is caused by the fact that Armenians
have indeed taken certain steps towards supportingKurdish
separatists. If Armenia continues moving in this direction,
resistance on the part Azerbaijan will beincreasing. And not only at
a diplomatic level. I cannot rule out that Azerbaijan can start real
actions of militarycharacter. I know officials who made their remarks
lately and I formed such an impression."