Azeri MPs say Armenian officers’ visit “disgrace”
ANS TV, Baku
22 Jun 04
[Presenter in studio] Our parliamentary correspondent has tried to
find out the deputies’ reaction to the visit of Armenian officers.
[Correspondent] I will deliberately not talk about the draft laws
discussed in parliament today. Because while this session of the
parliament was under way, a conference comfortably attended by two
Armenian officers was in progress only 1 km away. By joining that
meeting, Armenians actually insulted the spirit of thousands of
Azerbaijanis killed while defending the country’s territorial
integrity.
Therefore, I will not waste your time by speaking about the
discussions on joining the international postal convention or on the
draft law on state secrets. As a parliamentary correspondent of the
independent republic of Azerbaijan, I personally think it is much more
interesting to watch the reaction of the Milli Maclis [parliament]
chairman to statements by a number of MPs who tried to express their
protest at the Armenian officers’ visit. He simply cut their
statements short.
[Speaker Murtuz Alasgarov shown during parliament session] We are not
discussing that. Is that clear?
[Correspondent] But it is reassuring that even though the parliament’s
assembly hall is simply a place of gossip for many, at least some
deputies did have the courage not to remain tight-lipped.
[MP Zahid Oruc, captioned] I would like to say a few words about the
two Armenians. We have to express our protest today, Murtuz muallim
[form of address]. On Friday our protests will not be worth anything.
[MP Fazail Agamali] Time is passing. It has to be done today. It
cannot be postponed until tomorrow.
[Speaker Alasgarov] Let me repeat, this concerns everyone, so please
take this into account. We will discuss the issue on Friday.
[Another MP, not captioned] Government bodies which respect themselves
should not have allowed the occupying army’s officers to come here. Of
course [interrupted].
[Alasgarov] Listen, we are not discussing this issue. Is that clear?
[MP Sabir Rustamxanli] Please don’t interrupt us. We, members of the
Azerbaijani parliament and citizens of a country at war, think that it
is a disgrace to have allowed representatives of the Armenian army,
whose hands are imbrued with Azerbaijani blood, to set foot on our
soil. This is unacceptable.
[Correspondent] The chairman of the Milli Maclis eventually had to say
his word.
[Alasgarov] They have come secretly and will leave after the first
meeting of the conference.
[Correspondent] The parliament speaker was right, they will leave. But
we will stay: elected from the occupied Qubadli and Zangilan
Districts, MP Imamverdi Ismayilov, who asks in his books whether our
lands and our houses occupied by the enemy are still there, elected
from Xocali Elman Mammadov, a representative of Cabrayil, Karam
Aliyev, and others. And us. But what has been done cannot be
undone. The Armenians have come, seen and won. Yet another time. No
matter how this is being presented to us.
Afat Telmanqizi and Azar Qarayev, ANS.