Author: Nalbandian Eduard

Rights activist questions Azeri ombudsman’s activities

Ekho, Baku
23 Sep 04

Prominent Azerbaijani human rights activist Eldar Zeynalov has said
there is “some imbalance” in the activities of ombudsman Elmira
Suleymanova. The imbalance is “connected with protection of state
interests as they are interpreted by the government”, Zeynalov told
Ekho newspaper. The following is the text of R. Orucev’s report by
Azerbaijani newspaper Ekho on 23 September headlined “A human rights
activist accuses the ombudsman” and subheaded “Eldar Zeynalov comments
on Elmira Suleymanova’s appeal regarding the arrested KLO members”;
subheadings inserted editorially:

Azerbaijan’s ombudsman Elmira Suleymanova has recently sent a letter
to the chairwoman of the Court of Appeal, Qulzar Rzayeva, asking her
to release the convicted members of the Karabakh Liberation
Organization (KLO).

Her letter said that the protesters who took part in the 22 June
action outside the Europe Hotel against visits to Baku by Armenian
officers [for NATO exercises] were people who have lost their health
while defending Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. They have endured
the Xocali tragedy [during military operations between Armenia and
Azerbaijan in Nagornyy Karabakh] which was accompanied by mass
violations of rights of civilians, and have witnessed the cruelty of
the Armenian aggressors against the civilian population, abuse of
their relatives and compatriots who have turned into refugees,
displaced persons and hostages.

“As a result, they could not control their feelings and under the
power of emotions breached the law. Despite instances of hooliganism
and disruption of public order during the protest, the objective of
the participants was to protest at the visit of Armenian officers to
Azerbaijan,” the letter said.

The ombudsman also noted that at present the destiny of the KLO
members who were sentenced to imprisonment is in the focus of
attention of the public which awaits their release. Heeding the public
opinion, appeals by representatives of various parts of the
population, as well as by parents and family members of the convicted,
Suleymanova asked Rzayeva to assess the punishment for the KLO members
in accordance with the offences that they have committed.

First-ever protection of convicted

Prior to this, ombudsman Suleymanova had never allowed herself to
speak out for any citizen who had already been convicted. That is, as
soon as the ombudsman was asked to protect somebody who had already
been convicted, she would say that the judiciary in Azerbaijan was
independent and that she could not put pressure on the court. What
happened this time when Suleymanova all of a sudden directly addressed
the head of the Court of Appeal?

In the course of two days we could not get in touch with Suleymanova
to clarify this issue, even though the head of the ombudsman’s press
service, Zemfira Maharramli, repeatedly recommended Ekho newspaper to
do so. Finally, Maharramli explained her own stance on her boss’s
move. In her words, the actions of Suleymanova are justified because
“the conviction of the KLO members reverberated widely among the
public and politicians. Many NGOs, MPs, and even President [Ilham
Aliyev] himself said that the verdict was too harsh. Hence, the
ombudsman thought it possible to address the head of the Court of
Appeal.”

Ombudsman refuses to intervene

“In this case journalists are fully entitled to verify to what extent
the actions of Suleymanova correspond to the articles of the law ‘On
ombudsman’,” said the prominent Azerbaijani legal expert and director
of the Human Rights Centre of Azerbaijan, Eldar Zeynalov. “There are
other trials under way in Azerbaijan. For instance, the case of Elcin
Amiraslanov and members of the OMON [Special Purpose Police
Detachment] has recently passed through the Court of Appeal. Before
that, the court looked into the case of [ex-Defence Minister] Rahim
Qaziyev. The trial of participants in the 2003 October events
[post-election riots in Baku] is under way. And everybody understands
that the ombudsman does not have the right to intervene in the work of
the judges, nor do the ministers, the president or actually anybody
else.”

Zeynalov recalled that the previous responses from Suleymanova were in
the same vein whenever a complaint contained the word “trial”: “Even
if it was not about the trial itself, but about delays in the
proceedings and about foot-dragging. Incidentally, it is the ombudsman
who has the right to intervene in situations when the state bodies are
accused of dragging their feet. But even in those cases Suleymanova
used to always repeat that the judges were independent and she would
not intervene.”

“Imbalance” in ombudsman’s activities

Zeynalov reckons that in general, “there is some imbalance in the
activities of the Azerbaijani ombudsman which is connected with
protection of state interests as they are interpreted by the
government”.

For instance, in the wake of events in Nardaran [in June 2002], when
the village was blockaded and the elders of Nardaran were arrested and
tortured, the villagers officially appealed to Suleymanova and asked
her to influence the situation. But the ombudsman said then that she
did not have the right to intervene and refrained from any
comments. Then there were the October events and Suleymanova allowed
herself to make a political statement condemning the opposition’s
activities. Meanwhile, she did not say a word about the unlawful
actions of the policemen who dispersed the action, Zeynalov said.

A1 Plus | 17:14:51 | 20-09-2004 | Politics |

TWO CRIMINAL CASES DISMISSED

On Monday, Armenia’s Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan, answering
the question Iravunk newspaper correspondent put to him, said the case
against Artarutyun opposition bloc is closed. The case against former
defense minister general-lieutenant Vagharshak Harutyunyan, who was
charged with making seditious calls, attempting a coup and insulting
the authorities, is dismissed as well, he said.

Harutyunyan’s lawyer Robert Grigoryan knew nothing about that and
wondered why neither he nor his client was keep in touch with the
fact. It is still unclear on what grounds both cases were dismissed.

Glendale News Press
LATimes.com
Sept 20 2004

A chance to celebrate freedom and family

Sixth annual Armenian Independence Day Festival at Verdugo Park
brings together friends and family for music, dancing and poetry.

By Darleene Barrientos, News-Press

NORTHEAST GLENDALE – Laying large chunks of meat to roast over a
picnic grill at Verdugo Park was just the beginning for Hagop Zolyan
and his family and friends.

Zolyan, of Pasadena, his best friend Kevork Ohannessian, also of
Pasadena, and Ohannessian’s brother-in-law, Gregory Tatulyan, of
North Hollywood, all brought their families to enjoy the entire day
at the park, for the sixth annual Armenian Independence Day Festival.
Thousands of Armenian Americans descended on Verdugo Park, 1621
Cañada Blvd., to celebrate their independence with traditional song,
dance and poetry.

The three men had staked out a picnic table next to a grill, with
plans to sing, dance, play chess and, of course, eat.

“We go to this festival every year. It’s a family reunion – an
Armenian reunion,” Ohannessian said.

The annual festival took on the appearance of an enormous family
reunion, with thousands of people staking out grassy floor space with
folded chairs, beach chairs, blankets and card tables in front of the
stage to watch live Armenian singers and dancers.

Maryam Abedian, of Montrose, wandered toward the picnic tables,
intent on discovering what was going to happen at the festival.

“We came because we want to see what they’re going to do – the
singing, the dancing,” she said. “I also see my family here. At this
place, you can find family, friends.”

The Nor Serount Cultural Assn. and the Gaidz Youth Organization
organized the event to celebrate Armenian culture and commemorate
Armenia’s independence from the former Soviet Union, which was on
Sept. 21, 1991. Organizers expected between 5,000 and 6,000 people to
attend the festival.

Throughout the day, families poured through the entrances, clutching
chairs, as children rushed by with balloons in hand, or on bikes or
Rollerblades. Dignitaries like Assemblywoman Carol Liu (D-La Cañada
Flintridge) and Councilman Frank Quintero, were also on hand, wishing
everyone a happy independence day.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich sent a
representative and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Glendale) was also scheduled
to attend, organizer Garry Sinanian said.

It’s a privilege to be able to go to a festival to enjoy music and
food, he said.

“As Armenian Americans, we’re proud to have the freedom to enjoy our
culture,” Sinanian said. “This is a great way for the community to
come together.”

European body appoints new Karabakh rapporteur

Turan news agency
15 Sep 04

Baku, 15 September: A new rapporteur for Nagornyy Karabakh was
appointed by the PACE [Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe]
Political Committee meeting in Paris yesterday.

The head of the Azerbaijani delegation to PACE, Samad Seyidov, has
told Turan that the new rapporteur is David Atkinson. He will replace
Terry Davis, who took the post of Council of Europe secretary-general
on 1 September 2004.

During the meeting, a report prepared by Terry Davis was also
discussed. Seyidov gave a generally positive assessment of the
report. He said the discussion was constructive despite the attempts
of the Armenian side to question some of its provisions. The committee
approved the report as a whole. A decision was made that Atkinson
would continue work on the document so that it could be submitted to
the January 2005 session of PACE.

NATO CANCELLATION SPURS DEBATE IN AZERBAIJAN
Mammad Baghirov and Shahin Abbasov

Eurasianet
9/15/04

The protests that led to the cancellation of the North Atlantic
Treaty Organizationâ^À^Ùs exercises in Azerbaijan this week are being
interpreted in Baku as the first public expression of popular will
since President Ilham Aliyevâ^À^Ùs accession to power in 2003. Yet
while some believe this show of force indicates that Azerbaijan still
possesses a robust opposition, others are more worried about what
NATOâ^À^Ùs decision will mean in the long term for the country.

Protests at Armeniaâ^À^Ùs participation in the “Cooperative Best
Effort-2004” exercises, an annual training session for Partnership
for Peace participants, gained steam in late August, when members
of the Karabakh Liberation Organization were sentenced to prison
for forcing their way into a NATO planning conference in Baku that
included Armenian military officers. Anger at the arrests quickly
took on momentum, with pickets held outside the British, German and
French embassies and both pro-government MPs and the opposition media
calling on the Aliyev government to deny Armenia entry into Azerbaijan
for the September 14-26 games.

Though Bakuâ^À^Ùs support for Armeniaâ^À^Ùs participation in the games
began to cool even before the protests, the resulting political tension
appears to have forced Aliyev to clearly define the governmentâ^À^Ùs
position and abandon earlier assurances this April that Armenian
representatives would be allowed into Azerbaijan for the exercises. On
September 10, the Foreign Ministry refused to issue visas to all
Armenian military officers. The same day, parliament pushed for NATO
Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer to rescind the invitation to
Armenia to take part in the exercises, saying that the officersâ^À^Ù
presence does not “correspond with the interests of the nation.”

One day later, Aliyevâ^À^Ùs position was made clear: “Everybody was
invited by NATO. But if you ask the Azerbaijani people, do they want
the Armenian military to come to Baku, they would say no,” Aliyev
said during a visit to the Barda region. “I do not want their visit
as well.”

A tersely worded statement in response from NATOâ^À^Ùs Supreme
Command on Monday said that the decision to cancel the games took
place after the allianceâ^À^Ùs “principle of inclusiveness was
violated.” Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar is expected to attend
meetings at NATO headquarters in Brussels this week to discuss the
countryâ^À^Ùs participation in the Partnership for Peace program,
the Baku newspaper Ekspress quoted the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry as
saying on September 14. “The minister is paying a working visit and,
therefore, no precise topic or principal issue is on the agenda,”
Foreign Ministry spokesman Matin Mirza said.

Throughout the past weeks of protest, however, the government has
struggled to hold on to some degree of neutrality. Permission was
not given for street rallies, and pro-government media refrained
from endorsing independent and opposition journalistsâ^À^Ù calls
for Armenia to be denied entry for the NATO games. The ruling “Yeni
Azerbaijan Party” (YAP) abstained from participation in activities
organized by various public and political organizations, yet was quick
to express its support for the public mood. In a recent interview
with the Baku-based Echo daily newspaper, Bahar Muradova, a member
of parliament and the deputy executive secretary of YAP, said that
her party was instead “negotiating with international organizations
and informing them about the opinion of the Azerbaijani people.”

But in a country where outrage with Armenia over the 1988-1994
Nagorno-Karabakh war still runs deep, appearing out of sync with
such an “opinion” could carry heavy political risks. The Karabakh
Liberation Organizationâ^À^Ùs role in sparking the protests was duly
noted by Aliyev, who commented on an earlier trip to Nahichevan that
the court sentence passed down on the organizationâ^À^Ùs activists was
“too severe.”

With municipal elections scheduled for this December, Aliyevâ^À^Ùs
belief that the activistsâ^À^Ù sentences should be softened appears
well-calculated. The elections will be the first contested vote since
the bloody demonstrations that marked Aliyevâ^À^Ùs election in October
2003. Though Azerbaijanâ^À^Ùs opposition has been badly handicapped
by the brutal crackdown that followed, any government rebuff of the
NATO protests, in which Aliyevâ^À^Ùs critics played a large role,
could conceivably strengthen the oppositionâ^À^Ùs standing with voters.

Some observers see the governmentâ^À^Ùs about-face as a sign of
weak political leadership. “The incident shows that the Azerbaijani
leadership is feeble-minded,” independent political analyst Zardust
Alizada told Azad Azarbaycan TV on September 13. “Armenians could
choose to come or not to come. This would have had no impact on the
Karabakh settlement.”

One interpretation of events states that the participation of certain
pro-government organizations in the protests could indicate a division
within the ruling elite. Aside from pro-government parliamentarians,
the participation in the protests of the newly-created Party of
Unified Popular Front of Azerbaijan, led by Gudrat Gasanguliyev, a
former opposition member, and the National Forum of Non-Governmental
Organizations, led by Azay Guliyev, a member of the State Pardoning
Commission, has prompted this analysis. Under this interpretation,
anti-Aliyev groups within existing power structures worked to use
the protests to muddy Aliyevâ^À^Ùs international image.

Others place the government fully in control of events, and
maintain that NATO â^À^Ùs cancellation decision will merely
serve Azerbaijanâ^À^Ùs aims at talks between Aliyev and Armenian
President Robert Kocharian on Nagorno-Karabakh at a September
15 meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States in Astana,
Kazakhstan. According to this version, Azerbaijanâ^À^Ùs refusal to
grant Armenian representatives entry into the country can be used to
secure additional concessions from Armenia, which, like Azerbaijan,
is eager to tighten its ties to NATO.

Meanwhile, what the move will mean for Azerbaijanâ^À^Ùs relations with
NATO and the US has stirred an equally vociferous debate. Particular
attention is expected to focus on Aliyevâ^À^Ùs September 22 visit to
New York when he will address the United Nations and, according to an
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry statement to the Olaylar news agency,
meet with President George W. Bush. Recently, speculation has run
rife that a planned redeployment of 70,000 American troops from Europe
and East Asia could result in the opening of a US base in Azerbaijan.

Uzeyir Cafarov, an independent military expert, told Azad Azarbaycan
TV on September 13 that the Azerbaijani governmentâ^À^Ùs response to
the protests will inevitably hamper efforts to integrate the country
within NATO. “The attitude towards us will alter. Just imagine that
up to 1,000 servicemen from about 20 countries have come to Baku. Now
they are returning home frustrated,” Cafarov said.

For its part, the US has attempted to counter that belief. An
unidentified representative of the US embassy in Baku told the news
agency Turan, that while Washington supports NATOâ^À^Ùs decision, ”
[w]e do not think that this decision has anything to do with Bakuâ^À^Ùs
desire to cooperate with NATO and become closer to the alliance.”

One former foreign minister blames NATO itself for the failed war
games, arguing that the decision to cancel the exercises suggests that
the organization does not understand the nature of Azerbaijanâ^À^Ùs
grievances against Armenia. “Azerbaijan is a victim of aggression,
our lands are under occupation and we have hundreds of thousands
of refugees. It is wrong not to take heed of this,” former Foreign
Minister Tofiq Zulfuqarov told Azad Azerbaycan TV. “This position
should be taken into consideration in the future by NATO and other
international structures.”

A leading academician takes that argument even further, insisting
that, regardless of the countryâ^À^Ùs participation in the Partnership
for Peace, Azerbaijan has no obligation to NATO to invite Armenian
military personnel into the country.

“Itâ^À^Ùs not the Yerevan zoo that is going to come to Azerbaijan,
but the military of the country, whose commander-in-chief [President
Robert Kocharian] openly speaks about his participation in the
occupation of Azerbaijanâ^À^Ùs territory,” said Rovshan Mustafayev,
director of the Institute on Human Rights of the National Academy
of Sciences. “[I]f for some reason there will be associates of
[ex-Yugoslav President Slobodan] Milosevic, Kocharian or [ex-Iraqi
President] Saddam Hussein in the lists of participants, the host
country has the right to deny them.”

Editorâ^À^Ùs Note: Shahin Abbasov and Mammad Baghirov are deputy
editors-in-chief of the Baku-based daily newspaper Echo.

Posted September 15, 2004 © Eurasianet

Protest Action to be Held in Russia

Baku Today
Eurasia

11/09/2004 11:46

The Movement for Azerbaijan will hold a sanctioned action in Moscow
on September 25 in protest against Armenia’s unfair policy toward
Azerbaijan.

Assa-Irada — Along with Azeris living in Russia, the rally, aimed
at conveying Armenia’s policy of occupation to the international
community, will be joined by intellectuals of Russian and other
nationalities.

A resolution to be adopted by the protesters will be forwarded to
diplomatic representations of the UN Security Council permanent
members and the Armenian embassy in Moscow.

NATO DELEGATION DUE IN ARMENIA ON SEPTEMBER 13

   YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS: A NATO delegation comprising members of
the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s Security and Civic Enlargement Committee
and the Political Commission’s sub-committee is due to Armenia on September 13
for a three-day visit.
   On September 13 NATO officials will meet with parliament chairman Arthur
Baghdasarian and Mher Shahgeldian, who is a chairman of a parliament committee
on defense and national security issues and head of Armenian delegation to
NATO Parliamentary Assembly. A roundtable is planned for the same day with
members of several parliament committees to discuss a variety of issues on
local
reforms, international security and NATO’s role, Armenia’s foreign policy and
defense priorities and Armenia’s contribution to the regional security.
   Another round table will be organized with representatives of
non-governmental organizations on September 14. The same day NATO officials
will meet with
president Kocharian, defense minister Serzh Sarkisian, deputy foreign
minister Tatul Margarian and police chief Hayk Harutunian.
   The delegation will wrap up its visit by yet another round table
discussions on human rights at the parliament premises on September 15 before
leaving
for Georgia in the afternoon.

FOREIGN MINISTER OF AZERBAIJAN MEETS RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR

Azertag
[September 11, 2004, 16:27:19]

On September 10, Ambassador of Russia to Azerbaijan Nikolay Ryabov has
met the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Elmar
Mammadyarov in connection with completion of his diplomatic mission,
AzerTAj correspondent reports.

Having expressed gratitude to the Azerbaijan side for the assistance
rendered to him during work in Azerbaijan and fruitful cooperation,
ambassador Nikolay Ryabov has especially emphasized strengthening
relations between the two countries and development of connections
in many fields, has expressed hope for expansion of cooperation
and henceforth.

Noting the role of the ambassador in direction of expansion of the
close connections between the countries, minister Elmar Mammadyarov
has stated that he attaches great importance to prospects of bilateral
cooperation and supports continuation of mutually advantageous ties,
has wished to diplomat successes in the further activity.

During the meeting, minister Elmar Mammadyarov has emphasized, that
with feeling of regret has perceived the news of participation of
art workers of Russia in action of the notorious Armenian structure
in Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, occupied by Armenia, and
has presented to the ambassador Nikolay Ryabov a note of protest.

The parties had also focused issues on the agenda in connection with
the meeting of heads of the CIS states forthcoming on September 15,
in Astana.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
09/09/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://

1) Khatami Pays Respects to Armenian Genocide Victims
2) Russia Anxious to Resolve Karabagh Conflict Says Russian Ambassador
3) ARF’s Mkrtchian Addresses Khatami Visit
4) ARF Representatives Meet with Iranian President
5) Russian Foreign Minister Says Tbilisi Impedes Cooperation
6) Correction

1) Khatami Pays Respects to Armenian Genocide Victims

YEREVAN (Armenpress)–The President of Islamic Republic of Iran Mohammad
Khatami, paid his respects to the victims of the Armenian genocide of 1915, as
he placed flowers at Yerevan’s Dzidzernagapert memorial in their honor.
Armenia’s chief of presidential staff Artashes Tumanian, Yerevan mayor
Yervand
Zakharian, Armenian deputy foreign minister Ruben Shugarian, and other
high-ranking officials accompanied Khatami.
The director of the Genocide Museum at Dzidzernagapert, Lavrenti Barseghian,
briefed the Iranian president on the history of the museum, while employees
presented him research work on the 1915 Armenian genocide, along with other
momentos.

2) Russia Anxious to Resolve Karabagh Conflict Says Russian Ambassador

BAKU (AzerTag)–Russia’s outgoing ambassador to Azerbaijan Nikolay Ryabov,
during a press conference marking the end of his tenure on Thursday, said that
Russia is eager to find an immediate solution to the Mountainous Karabagh
conflict.
At a Wednesday meeting with the speaker of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis
(National
Assembly) Murtuz Alasgarov–who insisted the conflict over Karabagh has placed
serious obstacles for greater democratic reforms to be realized in
Azerbaijan–the Russian ambassador said that there exists numerous
long-running
conflicts in the region, and Russia strives to resolve these issues.
In the case of Mountainous Karabagh, Ryabov noted that Russia not only
co-chairs the OSCE Minsk group, which is tasked with finding a resolution to
the conflict, but is also the most authoritative country in the region to deal
with the matter.
He also revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin has initiated a
meeting
between the presidents of Azerbaijan, Russia, and Armenia in Astana,
Kazakhstan
on September 16.

3) ARF’s Mkrtchian Addresses Khatami Visit

YEREVAN (Combined sources)–ARF leader Levon Mkrtchian said during a press
conference on Thursday that ARF representatives and Iran’s president Mohammad
Khatami touched on the Mountainous Karabagh conflict during their meeting
earlier in the day.
Mkrtchian addressed Iran’s support of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity
saying that the ARF understands that no nation can oppose, in the
international
arena, the territorial integrity of another, “but there is also the right to
self-determination,” he added. “Thanks to that right, the Mountainous Karabagh
Republic is an independent country today, and has never been a part of
independent Azerbaijan.”
He explained that Iran is consistent in its readiness to serve as an
impartial
mediator. “We have always seen this,” he added.
Speaking of economic projects, including the gas pipeline that will link the
two neighboring countries, Mkrtchian stressed the project serves both
Armenia’s
political and economic interest. “Iran, however, has its interests too,” he
added.
Khatami and his Armenian counterpart Robert Kocharian signed on Wednesday a
framework treaty on the “principles and bases” of bilateral relations. They
also formalized the release of a $30 million Iran loan to Yerevan to be used
for the construction of a gas pipeline that will link the two neighboring
countries.

4) ARF Representatives Meet with Iranian President

YEREVAN (Yerkir)–An Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) delegation met
with Iranian President Mohammad Khatami in Yerevan on Thursday, describing the
president’s official visit to Armenia as “a new stage” in Iranian-Armenian
relations.
ARF Bureau representative Hrant Margarian, Bureau member Albert Ajemian, ARF
Armenia Supreme Body representative Armen Rustamian, and National Assembly’s
ARF faction leader Levon Mkrtchian represented the ARF who welcomed the
Iranian
president, reported the ARF press service.
Margarian stressed to Khatami that the visit is significant not only for the
advancement of Armenian-Iranian relations, but also for regional issues.
Pointing to the projects that were conceived and agreements reached during the
visit, Margarian conveyed confidence that this visit opens a new stage in the
centuries-long friendship between the two nations.
In turn, President Khatami presented his impressions of the visit, saying
that
Armenia plays a key role in the region, as well as a unique role throughout
history.
Addressing the role of the ARF, Khatami underscored its importance as a party
and organization that unifies Armenians throughout the world and plays an
important role in reinforcing political processes.

5) Russian Foreign Minister Says Tbilisi Impedes Cooperation

TBILISI (Civil Georgia)–Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an
interview in the Russian newspaper Vremya Novostei, that the Georgian side is
hampering more close cooperation between Tbilisi and Moscow.
“Cooperation between Russian and Georgian special services takes place [in
fighting terrorism]. We would like for this cooperation to be more effective,”
Sergei Lavrov said in a September 9 interview.
He expressed regret that ties between the two counties are not as close as
was
agreed to during talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his
Georgian counterpart Mikhail Saakashvili, which took place in Moscow in
February this year.
“Unfortunately, in practice, the agreements reached in February are being
torpedoed by the Georgian side. We hope the Georgian side will understand that
unilateral, forceful steps towards the so called Ossetian and Abkhazia
problems
have no perspective. I hope Tbilisi will understand that seeking an external
enemy in the form of Russia is counterproductive, to say the least,” the
Russian Foreign Minister added.
He reiterated that the Russian side “has offered Tbilisi proposals” aiming at
“normalization of all… bilateral relations.”
Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement calling on the
Georgian side to accept proposals offered by the Russian side. In a statement
issued on August 27, however, the Georgian Foreign Ministry responded, saying
that Georgia had not received any constructive proposals and “in order to
publicly dispel any doubts,” called on Russia to forward the package of
constructive proposals to Georgian Authorities.
Lavrov also stressed that Tbilisi should confirm its commitment to solve the
situation in Abkhazia and South Ossetia through peaceful means. “Creation of
this kind of normal environment in relations will increase efficiency of work
of the special services [of the two countries] in fighting terrorism,” Sergei
Lavrov said.

6) Correction

Iran’s President Mohammad Khatami was elected president in August 1997, not
May
1977 as reported by Asbarez on Wednesday. He was re-elected in 2001.

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Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
Sept 9 2004

WAY ON WHICH GOES ARMENIA, REPRESENTS THREAT TO THE POLICY OF THE
NATO ON SOUTHERN CAUCASUS
[September 09, 2004, 22:51:51]

Political scientist Rovshan Mustafayev thinks, that the Alliance will
correctly regard concern of the Azerbaijan public connected with it.

Director of Research Institute on Human Rights of ANAS, PhD Rovshan
Mustafayev has told to correspondent of AzerTAj: “Threat of terror in
our region proceeds not only from the Chechen Republic, but also from
uncontrolled territories, first of all, the Azerbaijan lands occupied
by Armenia, including the Nagorny Karabakh. Nagorny Karabakh is not
having any jurisdiction space where a number of the centers of the
international terrorism functions. From here terrorist attacks on
adjoining territories – Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Chechen Republic,
Beslan are on a regular basis organized. Nagorny Karabakh is
knowingly mentioned in Address of the President of Russia to people
in connection with Beslan tragedy as “endless whirlpool of bloody
conflicts”.

Last years, the NATO has declared uncompromising struggle with the
international terrorism. Azerbaijan suffering from the policy of
terror, pursued by Armenia at the state level, the first has
supported this struggle. Azerbaijan together with other countries of
Southern Caucasus takes part in the PfP program of the NATO.
Strangely enough, the Armenia-aggressor also is involved in this
program. While the policy pursued by this state contradicts
philosophy of Trans-Atlantic of the NATO, represents threat to its
policy on Southern Caucasus. The president of Armenia openly
declares, that took direct participation in fights for Karabakh, in
occupation of other areas of Azerbaijan. I think, that the NATO will
correctly regard the protest of the Azerbaijan public in connection
with participation of the Armenian officers whose hands are soiled
with blood of Azerbaijanis, in the forthcoming exercises of the
Alliance in Baku.

Annually the NATO carries out in various regions of 500-600 actions.
The Armenian officers are not invited to the majority of these
actions, or do not participate in them as it does not interest
Armenia. As a matter of fact, this state dictates its will to this
Organization. On the one hand, it convinces the Alliance of
participation in its program “Partnership for Peace”, on another, is
a member of the military block opposite to NATO. In short, as if the
politicians, experts of the NATO suffer with the “illness” of
Gorbachev and Vezirov. It seems to them, that they will achieve all,
if can set for a table of representatives of peoples of the Southern
Caucasus. We support cooperation with the North Atlantic block, make
all efforts in struggle against the international terrorism. At the
same time, we cannot shut eyes to the error of the NATO politicians,
connected to Southern Caucasus. This policy should be harmonized with
realities.