Jailed Armenian opposition official goes on hunger strike
Noyan Tapan news agency
26 Apr 04
YEREVAN
Aramazd Zakaryan, member of the political board of the Anrapetutyun
[Republic] Party, who is being held in Nubarashen prison, went on an
open-ended hunger strike on 24 April.
Zakaryan believes that his arrest and accusations levelled at him are
political persecution, the party’s press service told Noyan Tapan news
agency.
Manila Times, Philippines
April 26 2004
DOUBLETAKE
Ignoring genocide
By Eric F. Mallonga
SUPERPOWER America possesses vast information on world events before
they even happen. Its government either makes world events happen or
wait for events to happen to it or to other countries before it even
react. Often, America ignores the world event, especially when it
has no bearing or consequence to America’s security and economy. As
the only superpower nation today, it claims the moral authority to
direct world events and shepherd other interest in shepherding are
those that possess vast natural resources, the destruction of which
would substantially affect the American economy, such as Iraq and the
other oil-producing Middle East countries.
Former President Bill Clinton knew about the fierce rivalry between
the Hutus and Tusis of Rwanda. He had been informed about the
genocidal assaults by one tribe against the other even as they were
still on the planning table. He took no action – nothing remedial nor
preemptive. Obviously, America has no economic or security interest
in the Dark Continent, or in any of its countries, except for one
phase in its historical past when its people engaged in the
shamelessness of African slavery in America. In many African
countries, genocide takes place on a daily occurrence albeit on a
lesser scale than the Rwandese bloodbath or the Kurdish massacre by
the Hussein regime in Iraq. I was shocked when one Congolese social
worker informed participants at a Monte-Carlo symposium last year
that children as young as eight years or even younger, were recruited
by both government and insurgency forces into their respective armies
for as long as they could carry a gun. These child combatants would
commit massacres, rapes, torture and other atrocities as directed or
allowed by their military commanders. Sometimes, the comparison with
the Philippine situation is surprisingly similar as we now witness on
our television screen the participation of teenagers or children in
their pre-teens, as young as eight years, in armed conflict, having
been recruited into the communist or extremist Islamic insurgency
groups. It is a legacy of bloodbath and violence that Marxist rebels
and Muslim jihadists wish to pass on to the younger generations of
Filipinos, or to the world.
Today, nobody seems to be aware or even outraged by the genocide
taking place in Sudan. Dubya Bush is not interested. Neither is Kofi
Annan raising a voice against the bloody purges. In Darfur, Sudan,
thousands of people have already been massacred, with one million
black Africans driven from their homes by lighter skinned Arabs in
the Janjaweed. The New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof points
out that Darfur, a region which is the size of France, has been
burned and emptied as the Arab Janjaweed militia, armed by the
Sudanese government, have destroyed the water wells, or fouled them
up by dumping corpses into them, to prevent the villagers from ever
returning to their ancestral lands. When tribal African men and
teenage boys show up at the wells to gather water for their families,
they are shot. When it is African women and girls, they are raped.
One thousand people are dying weekly and the world is not paying any
attention.
The United Nations Security Council was not established for the
parochial interest of its five most powerful council-member nations.
As hundreds of thousands of Sudanese refugees are escaping into the
Chad border, hundreds of thousands of fresh graves are being dug up
for Sudanese children. In the Darfur villages, isolated and
unschooled tribal peasants are suddenly confronted with modern
helicopters opening fire with their machine guns and missiles on
their innocent children. The United Nations was created to respond to
the evils of genocide as it had never been able to respond
appropriately to past genocidal events – in Armenia, in Germany, in
Cambodia, in Vietnam, in Bosnia. But Kofi Annan should not rely on
Bush for any support as the world knows that America’s interests are
delimited to its own national security and economy. American
companies might even be earning billions from the purchase by the
Sudanese government of war equipment, vehicles, helicopters and
armaments used in the Sudanese genocide so that maintaining political
instability in that side of the world remains beneficial to American
economy.
How many more children have to be massacred, tortured, burned to
death, raped, branded like animals, recruited into the army and
transformed into killing and raping machines before the world finally
demands accountability from the participants to this genocide,
including those countries which supply armaments that make genocide
possible?
Jailed Azeri officer might be extradited after court ruling – Hungarian
official
ANS TV, Baku
23 Apr 04
[Presenter] An Azerbaijani embassy will open in Budapest by the end of
this year, the Hungarian deputy state secretary for foreign affairs,
Jeno Boros, has told ANS. The Hungarian diplomat did not rule out the
extradition to Azerbaijan of Ramil Safarov, Azerbaijani army officer
charged with murdering an Armenian officer.
[Correspondent, over video of Jeno Boros speaking to journalists
outdoors] In an interview with ANS, the Hungarian deputy state
secretary for foreign affairs, Jeno Boros, said that the trial of
Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov, who is charged with killing an
Armenian officer in Hungary, would be held strictly in line with this
country’s laws and without politicizing the issue. Boros did not rule
out Safarov’s extradition to Azerbaijan.
[Jeno Boros, in Hungarian, with superimposed translation into Azeri]
Safarov’s extradition to Azerbaijan is impossible since there is no
agreement on extradition between Azerbaijan and Hungary. The
prosecutor’s office is still investigating the case. It will be sent
to court in the near future. The Azerbaijani officer might be
extradited after a court ruling. The date of the trial has not been
set yet.
[Correspondent] According to the Hungarian official, Ramil Safarov
might not serve his prison term in Budapest.
[Passage omitted: reported details]
Apr. 22, 2004. 01:00 AM
Armenia genocide did happen: MPs
Toronto Star
GRAHAM FRASER NATIONAL AFFAIRS WRITER
OTTAWA-Parliament rejected a plea by Foreign Affairs Minister Bill
Graham, and voted to acknowledge the Armenian genocide of 1915 and
condemn it as a crime against humanity.
Dozens of Liberal MPs yesterday broke with the government and
supported the motion, which passed 153 to 68 despite a personal
request by Graham to the Liberal caucus to consider the consequences
of the vote.
“Fantastic!” said Liberal MP Sarkis Assadourian (Brampton Centre), who
co-sponsored the motion with Bloc MP Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral (Laval
Centre), Conservative MP Jason Kenney (Calgary Southeast) and NDP MP
Alexa McDonough (Halifax).
Assadourian stressed the vote was not aimed at Turkey, which has
always rejected the label of genocide for the killings of Armenians in
1915.
“This is establishing a historical fact that happened in the Ottoman
Empire,” he said. “We have to work together and build
bridges. … After 89 years, justice has been done. It’s very, very
important that we acknowledge the past, that we condemn it so that we
don’t repeat it.”
Graham issued a statement saying the government was not bound by the
vote, and that its position had not changed.
“We certainly understand the will of the House, but the government’s
position remains that, in respect of Turkey and Armenia, we are
working with them for reconciliation … to try and ensure good
neighbourly relations,” he told reporters.
Liberal MP Stéphane Dion (Saint-Laurent-Cartierville) said very few
MPs did not think a genocide had taken place.
“Why are we afraid of calling a spade a spade?” he asked, arguing that
by issuing the statement, the government was undermining the
importance of Parliament.
“Canada’s position is very confused,” he said.
Aris Babikian of the Armenian National Committee of Canada said he was
elated by the vote, which Armenians in Canada had spent 25 years
waiting for.
“This victory is not only for the victims of the Armenian genocide and
the Armenian people, it is a victory for justice, truth,
reconciliation and healing,” he said. Canada joins a small number of
other countries, including France, Russia, Argentina, Greece and
Uruguay, in describing the events that occurred in Eastern Anatolia
under the Ottoman Empire in 1915-23 as genocide. Turkeyhas furiously
rejected the idea that the deaths and deportation of Armenians at that
time can be described as such.The result followed an appeal by Graham
to Liberal MPs to consider the consequences of the vote.
“I am deeply concerned that it could have far-reaching negative
consequences,” Graham said in a letter to Liberal MPs. “Sensitive
negotiations have begun between the governments of Armenia and Turkey
which will hopefully lead to the normalization of relations and the
opening of the border between the two countries.”
Canadian officials are concerned the vote might have an effect on
several major Canadian contracts in Turkey.
Bombardier has a $335 million contract for work on the Ankara metro,
and there is an additional contract being negotiated worth $1 billion
-with 70 per cent of the work being done in Canada. SNC-Lavalin is
also a contender for another project near Istanbul.
Turkish embassy counsellor Fazli Corman told Reuters that “relations
with Canada will suffer as the result of adopting such a motion.”
In the past, the Liberal government has insisted Liberal MPs vote
against similar motions. But the Martin government, while requiring
members of the cabinet to support the government’s position, allowed a
free vote on the motion.
Additional articles by Graham Fraser
Current crisis results from ballot-rigging – Armenian opposition leader
Noyan Tapan news agency
15 Apr 04
YEREVAN
“The closure of the office of the Republican Party of Armenia was an
illegal step by the authorities,” the leader of the Justice bloc,
Stepan Demirchyan, has told Noyan Tapan.
Congratulating the party leaders on the resumption of the work of the
party, he noted that “the authorities have presumably sobered up now
and have decided not to create obstacles” any more.
Demirchyan explained that the international reaction to the
developments in the republic and on the other hand, what is more
important, people’s pressure sober up the authorities.
Demirchyan said that “those who committed violence and rigged the
presidential elections should be brought to account”. He believes that
today’s developments are a consequence of the presidential elections.
16 April 2004
Martyrs’ Week at First Armenian Presbytarian
By The Porterville Recorder staff
“A Rebirth of Armenia: Christian Missions in the 21st Century Republic” is
the theme of the Martyrs’ Week Missions Luncheon at California’s oldest
Armenian Church.
The luncheon will be at 1 p.m. Sunday at the First Armenian Presbyterian
Church of Fresno, 430 S. First St., midway between historic Huntington
Boulevard and the Kings Canyon Promenade.
The luncheon is complimentary and a free-will offering will be taken to
benefit home and foreign missions projects. Reservations should be made by
calling FAPC Administrative Assistant Alidz Anspikian at 237-6638.
Elder Bryan Bedrosian of Fowler, chairman of the FAPC Committee on Missions,
will present a video and commentary about the work of the Armenian
Missionary Association of America in the Armenian homeland.
Founded in 1918, the nonprofit AMAA maintains a range of educational,
evangelism, relief, social service, church and child care ministries in more
than 20 countries around the world.
Bedrosian and his wife Rosie, principal of the Armenian Community School of
Fresno, traveled to Armenia shortly after the 2003 Advent Season to observe
and photograph the ongoing spiritual, educational, medical and relief
programs of the AMAA.
The Rev. Mgrdich Melkonian is the Senior Pastor of FAPC and the Rev. Samuel
Albarian is the associate pastor for mission and outreach.
FAPC is a member congregation of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the
Armenian Evangelical Union of North America, a confederation of Armenian
Protestant churches, missions and fellowships in the United States and
Dominion of Canada.
Armenia looks for funds for Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, president says
Mediamax news agency
16 Apr 04
YEREVAN
Yerevan and Tehran have reached an agreement on beginning the
construction of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline next year.
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan said this addressing a meeting of
the council on nuclear power security under the president, Mediamax
reports.
According to the president, the country’s authorities consider this
gas pipeline “as a means to enhance Armenia’s energy security and
diversify natural gas import”.
“At present, Armenia is drawing out different schemes of financing the
construction of this gas pipeline on its territory,” Robert Kocharyan
said.
Everything is in order, says Armenian defence minister
Golos Armenii, Yerevan
15 Apr 04
Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan has defended the actions of
the law-enforcement agencies in breaking up the opposition rally on
12-13 April. He told Armenian newspaper Golos Armenii that “2,000
people” could not be allowed to disrupt the life of the whole
nation. Accusing the opposition of trying to delude the people,
Sarkisyan said that the rallies showed that they had no organizational
ability. “Everything is in order,” he said, asked to comment on the
current situation. He acknowledged that Armenia’s position in
negotiations on Nagornyy Karabakh would be stronger if there were no
domestic political tension, but insisted that Armenia’s stance
remained unchanged. Sarkisyan said that it was too soon to say whether
or not Armenia would attend the NATO exercises to be held in Baku in
September. Economic, rather than democratic, development is Armenia’s
priority, Sarkisyan said. Text of Ruben Markaryan’s interview with
Sarkisyan in Golos Armenii on 15 April headlined “`Everything is in
order,’ Serzh Sarkisyan”; ellipses as published by the newspaper
throughout, subheadings inserted editorially:
An exclusive interview with Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan.
Everything is in order
[Golos Armenii correspondent] Mr Sarkisyan, the first question is
about the domestic political situation. How do you assess the recent
events, in particular the opposition meetings and dispersal of the
demonstration on Bagramyan Avenue?
[Serzh Sarkisyan] Everything is in order. In order to assess today’s
situation correctly, let us go back several months and recall how the
irreconcilable minority was threatening to announce the time, day and
even hour of the change of power. The authorities took those
statements and threats very calmly, but the opposition opted to worsen
the situation. You know, we reacted calmly to lies, invented
accusations and even personal insults… But that was until they
started talking openly about taking power by force. Then the
authorities took certain measures and we have seen the result… They
threatened to take 100-150,000 people onto the streets. They made
announcements on behalf of the people as though only the radical
opposition are the people’s representatives and all the rest are their
enemies. Today it is obvious that these people do not have any right
to speak on behalf of the people, as they could not get even the
number of voters of one constituency to their rally… Moreover,
either because they were annoyed by this or insulted, they decided to
resort to extreme measures.
Let’s recall the sequence of events: the opposition wanted to hold a
rally on Theatre Square [also known as Freedom Square], they held one,
although it had not actually been authorized. The opposition wanted to
hold a sit-down strike, again no-one stopped them, but, unfortunately,
today’s radicals are the type of people who consider a normal attitude
to be a sign of weakness and become more insolent… And the
opposition decided that 2,000 people could come and disrupt the normal
life of the whole nation. Of course, the law-enforcement structures
had to take steps…
Opposition are deluding people
[Correspondent] The results are evident. But what conclusions may be
drawn from what happened?
[Sarkisyan] Conclusions… First of all, the executive power should
make conclusions. We should look at our work in a new way. You know,
nobody, neither the president nor prime minister nor any minister said
that there is no problem in their sphere and everything is OK. There
are numerous problems. Specifically in my sphere there are many
problems, but we work on the principle: everything is
relative. Otherwise the question will undoubtedly arise: “But who are
the judges?” From this point of view, if we compare 2004 and 2000,
progress is obvious. Moreover, in all spheres. We should try to make
the progress more noticeable, tangible, but at the same time we should
and will put in their place those who are trying to play on the
people’s emotions, who are trying to delude the people, to speak in
their name.
Recently I had the pleasure at the Drama Theatre to hear once more the
marvellous thoughts of Paruyr Sevak, declaimed by actor Artur
Utmazyan. “To delude the people is a crime”, Paruyr Sevak said. You
have to agree with him. It really is a crime to play on the people’s
social problems and say: “You go, we’ll come in and do better.” Who
said that they can do better? Another marvellous poet, Shota
Rustaveli, said: “Everyone thinks he is a strategist when he watches a
battle from the sidelines.”
It seems to them that they can do something. But it is obvious that,
even in organizing rallies, these people do not even have an iota of
organizing ability. All their activity is based on lies and
falsification. They lie, both in the small things and the big. They do
not hesitate to look into the eyes of those who came to support
them. I cannot imagine how, seeing 5-6,000 people who have come to
support them, they can say: “My dear people, thank you that 100,000 of
you have come.” And they do not even blush. What can you make of the
speeches of the opposition leaders in the foreign press, first of all
the Russian? What kind of behaviour is that? They have convinced
themselves that we are leading the people to disaster and now they are
trying to persuade other people of this, our friends as well as
enemies. What is this, if not betrayal? It turns out that they are
aspiring to assure Azerbaijan: “Look, the authorities in Armenia have
neither a basis nor an army. Come and achieve your objectives!”
[Correspondent] The view has been spread that our opposition is acting
in unison with Azerbaijan…
[Sarkisyan] No, certainly there is no direct connection. Here there
may not be two opinions. It is another question if the interests
coincide here. The problem is that these people are unscrupulous.
There is only one slogan for them – the worse it is in Armenia, the
better for them. Azerbaijan is certainly guided by the same slogan,
and not only Azerbaijan…
Armenia’s position on Karabakh unchanged
[Correspondent] By the way, the national security minister of
Azerbaijan has often spoken recently about his secret service in
Armenia. Do you see signs of it?
[Sarkisyan] I think that these statements are first of all made for
local consumption. After all, it is known that the Azerbaijanis like
to boast and not only about this… Sometimes they liberate what seem
to them to be villages, sometimes something else… No serious leader
of a secret service of a serious country will say openly that his
secret service is operating in another country. This childishness ill
befits the leader of a secret service.
[Correspondent] May the domestic political tension negatively affect
the country’s foreign policy objectives, in particular the diplomatic
settlement of the Karabakh conflict?
[Sarkisyan] It is clear that there is no benefit from this
situation. During any talks our positions will be much stronger, if
this type of situation does not arise. It is no secret that the
soundness of any country, especially of a country that is in a state
of “neither war nor peace”, the soundness of any army, mostly depends
on the soundness of its rear. As for the NKR problem, I should say
that in this matter the positions of the Armenian authorities are
strong and unchangeable. There are three known principles: the
impossibility of Artsakh [Karabakh] being subordinate to Azerbaijan;
the impossibility of an enclave status for Artsakh; and security
guarantees. We have neither the desire nor the potential to give up
something more and we shall stand up for our position. It is also
known that today the negotiating process has slowed down at the
initiative of Azerbaijan.
[Correspondent] Recently Azerbaijan’s new foreign minister stated
their principles, that Azerbaijan will not agree to the independence
of Karabakh or its joining Armenia.
[Sarkisyan] These are not new principles. All this has been the
corner-stone of their activity since 1988, and if a new president of
Azerbaijan wants to travel the same road that we travelled since 1988,
that is his problem. I do not understand what it means “to start from
scratch”. From 1988, 1918 or may be to go even further back?
Armenia guarantor of Karabakh’s security
[Correspondent] You talked about the connection between the soundness
of the rear and of the army. What is the situation in the Armenian
armed forces today?
[Sarkisyan] I need a very long time to answer this question. To be
brief, we are implementing the plan for 2004, in particular in
supporting the fighting efficiency of the armed forces. Exercises are
held from time to time, they are more or less objective criteria of
the fighting efficiency of the troops. Recently we held
command-headquarters exercises for the first time. Our objective was
to learn how in the conditions of constant reforms in the economy our
structures were able to adapt to these new conditions in the rear, to
the problems of material supplies, replenishment and fighting
efficiency. The exercises showed that, in spite of problems, the
situation may be considered satisfactory.
[Correspondent] They say in Azerbaijan that in your ministry they are
going to reconsider the military doctrine and, according to the
foreseen changes, if war resumes, the NKR army will pass under the
direct subordination of the Armenian armed forces. What is the state
of the military doctrine? Is there one?
[Sarkisyan] We have a military doctrine. But it does not exist on its
own, it is part of the whole security system. Maybe we need one
general document, the main part of which will be our military
doctrine. But as a rule these tactical problems are not touched on in
military doctrines. But it is clear that Armenia and, in particular,
our army is the guarantor of the Nagornyy Karabakh people’s security,
nobody has nor should they have any illusions about this. The doctrine
may change, it may not change, there may be a doctrine, there may
not… Armenia is the guarantor of Nagornyy Karabakh’s security.
[Correspondent] Are you satisfied with the budget of our armed forces?
They often say that Azerbaijan’s military budget is much larger than
ours.
[Sarkisyan] Really our military budget is almost half that of
Azerbaijan. But I think that the resources given are enough to support
the army’s fighting efficiency and the dynamic of change in the
military budget is acceptable. I do not want to touch on the details,
but the Azerbaijani army is bigger than ours so for this reason
expenditure is also greater. In addition, the president and prime
minister of our republic often find opportunities to settle some of
the armed forces’ problems, which should have been settled from the
military budget.
Too early to say if Armenia will go to NATO exercises in Baku
[Correspondent] The relations of our armed forces with the [CIS]
Collective Security Treaty [CST] are more or less obvious. What can
you say about cooperation with NATO? Will Armenia take part in the
NATO exercises in Baku this autumn?
[Sarkisyan] It is still early to give a final answer, but at the last
stage of planning for the exercises in Kiev we confirmed that as a
fully-fledged member of the Partnership for Peace programme we have
the right and are obliged to take part in the exercises. We shall see
how Azerbaijan will behave in future. As for our relations with NATO,
they are moving forward. We continue to integrate into different NATO
programmes and I think this can only be useful for our armed
forces. Remaining a member of the CST, we shall develop our bilateral
relations with NATO and the countries of the bloc. Our military
cooperation with NATO is also developing normally. I think we do not
have the right to become closed in on ourselves and we shall only gain
from that cooperation.
[Correspondent] To put the question more basically, do you not think
that we are lagging behind Georgia and Azerbaijan in cooperation with
NATO?
[Sarkisyan] If we take into account only the statements of Georgia and
Azerbaijan about their desire to become a member of the bloc, in this
sense they are ahead. Joining NATO is not on our foreign policy agenda
and, for this reason, naturally we do not make this kind of statement,
here everything is clear. As for the level of cooperation, we are not
lagging behind.
Economy the priority
[Correspondent] As secretary of the Security Council, what current
objective of Armenian statehood is the most relevant?
[Sarkisyan] It is difficult to single out one. Nevertheless, I think
the main objective is to ensure high rates of economic development. If
the economy is developing at a high rate, then the country’s budget
will be able to allocate funds to security as well as social problems
and the army. Stable rates of development, this is the most important
today. My words may seem strange, because it is accepted to speak much
about the priority of democracy and human values. But for me it is
almost an axiom: all this first of all depends on economic
development, on the means in your budget, on the wages and pensions of
citizens, on the wages and pensions of the officers of the armed
forces, on the means to ensure security and the development of
democratic institutions. I am sure that if by some miracle we manage
to increase the living standard in Armenia 10 times, in that case
hardly anyone would want to go to rallies. For this reason I think
that all the efforts should be directed at achieving this objective.
No damage to Armenia’s international image from dispersal of rally
[Correspondent] What do you think, may the recent events in Armenia
have a negative affect on the attitude of international organizations
and Western countries towards our country?
[Sarkisyan] I do not think so, because everything was within the
framework of the law. Every day you see on the television the steps
taken by European and US law-enforcement agencies to support public
order. I think that, on the contrary, nobody would have understood us
if 2,000 people had paralysed the life of the whole of Yerevan.
LET THEM RELEASE 5 REGIONS, AND WE’LL OPEN THE DOOR
Azer Tag
[April 15, 2004, 15:40:09]
The influential Turkish newspaper `Hurriyet’ has published an
interview of its editor-in-Chief Ertogrul
Ozkek with President of Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev.
AzerTAj offers its readers the text of the interview.
LET THEM RELEASE 5 REGIONS, AND WE’LL OPEN THE DOOR
The flag of Azerbaijan streaming in the Black Sea
I notice first changes right after landing in Baku airport. Now it is
named after Heydar Aliyev. This is not, however, the only
change. Those in people’s attitude to Turkey are also noticeable this
time. Everyone I was talking to, asking just one question: will you
open borders with Armenia?
Before my arrival here, some 20 Azerbaijani journalists had left
Nakhchivan for Turkey, where they are now holding the campaign `Do Not
Open Borders with Armenia’. Some opposition papers call on to even
expel the Turkey’s Embassy in case of the country’s opening borders.
In the evening, we are in the `Izmir’ restaurant located inthe `Izmir’
park. Singers appear on the stage one after another, every next voice
is better than the previous one. The last singer starts singing the
song `Charpinirdi Gara Deniz’ /The Black Sea Storming/exiting the
audience. She starts swinging the Turkish flag with her one hand, and
the Azeri flag with other. The songâ=80=99s last chorus says: we will
do hoist Azerbaijan’s flag in Karabakh.
In such an atmosphere, we are talking with President Ilham Aliyev. And
one of the reasons for giving interview to Guner Jivaoglu from
`Mlliyetâ=80=9D and to me on the eve of the President’s visit to
Turkey was most likely a desire to bring the state of Baku public
opinion to Turkey.
***
ERTOGRUL OZKEK: Passing away of esteemed President Heydar Aliyev was a
loss to the whole Turkish world, Azerbaijan and Turkey.
ILHAM ALIYEV: That was a really great loss to us. He had been
suffering from the disease, but it is impossible to put up with the
loss.
– When was the last time you saw the esteemed President?
– In September.
– Met in America?
– Yes, I had held the office of Prime Minister by that time. I went to
see him. Twenty days later, elections were held. Right upon arrival I
began my pre-election campaign. I planned to go there once more after
the elections on December 16, but he passed away on 12th.
Rate of growth reaches 11%
– This time, I found Baku changed. A lot of newly erected
buildings. What about economic development?
– Our economy is on the right way. Rate growth has reached 11
percents. Azerbaijan came from communist system. Today, however, the
share of privatesector makes up 74%, and this points to market economy
in force.
– Are you pleased with the course of oil pipeline construction?
– The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan is being successfully constructed. This is
Heydar Aliyev’s brain-child, as well. I am pleased with the work being
done on the pipeline.
– Will the developments in Georgia have any impact on the system of
oil transportation?
– No, they won’t.
– Is it possible to use Iranian territory or any other route?
– It is possible in the future, this is a question of tomorrow, not
today. Maybe Azerbaijan will produce so much oil that we will have to
lay additional pipelines.
The point is not ecologists but Armenian Lobby
– What about those who opposed the project?
– The Baku-Ceyhan project’s opponents have not yet given up their
policy. On the first phase, the countries-opponents were frankly
disputing the project. Now the tactics has been changed. The
non-governmental organizations operating as `environment protectors’
and under the influence of the Armenian lobby, want impede its
realization.
– How do you see further developments in the Caucasus? After the
collapse of the Soviet Union, three strong leaders were in the region:
Demirel in Turkey, Heydar Aliyev here, and Shevardnadze in Georgia. It
helped to avoid losses.At the moment, however, the three countries’
leaders do not have due experience. May it cause any problems?
– Unfortunately, instability exists in our region. The Caucasus today
is so sensitive region that the slightest mistake may lead to
tragedy. You have been quite right saying they were very strong
leaders. Their unity, friendship, personal relations were playing very
important role. I hope we, the young ones, will continue their
traditions.
Karabakh and Cyprus are not the same
– Mr. President, we often hear in these last days that following the
settlement of the Cyprus problem, that of Palestine- Israel and
Karabakh conflicts will be put on a waiting list, and that you will be
put more pressures. Do you share this opinion?
– I see no parallel between these problems. Azerbaijan has always been
subject to pressure. But it is totally unjustified as we are not the
sourceof the conflict. Armenia occupied our territories. Nagorny
Karabakh and 7 adjacent territories are still under occupation. As a
result, 40 thousand Azerbaijanis from Nagorny Karabakh, 700 thousand
from the adjacent regions were forced to migrate.
– Are there other refugees?
– Naturally, 250 thousand Azerbaijanis from Armenia. There are also
20-50 thousand Meskheti Turks. Therefore, over one million refugees
exist in Azerbaijan today.
– Is it possible that the conflict will not be settled?
– The large states, OSCE and Minsk group directly engaged in the
problem should approach its settlement on the base of the
international legal norms. Territorial integrity of Azerbaijan must
be restored.
– What about Armenians in Nagorny Karabakh. They say of
self-determination.
– Armenians have got the independent Armenian state. If they declare
the principle of self-determination wherever they live, will they
manage to establish more Armenian states in Georgia, France or
America?
– If you had to address Armenia from here, what would you suggest in
concrete words to settle the conflict?
– I’d say frankly: first, we will never accept the developments
de-facto. These lands will never be a part of Armenia, and no
independent Armenian republic will be created there.
– Isn’t it too categorical and implacable stance? Maybe there is a
need to be more constructive, in order to start negotiations at least?
– We do have a constructive proposal.
– What is it?
– On the first phase, we suggest them to withdraw troops from the
occupied regions to start negotiations. Right after that we will open
railway communications; economic links will be re-established, and it
will become possible to open borders between Armenia and Turkey. We
will also give the highest autonomous status to Nagorny Karabakh.
– How do you see the situation of the Armenians living in Karabakh?
– Our proposals are as follows: we are ready to give highest possible
autonomous status to Armenians of Nagorny Karabakh, but not
independence.
– What status?
– For instance, national minorities are living throughout the
world. We are ready to give the highest level of autonomy, in the
broadest sense of the word.
Pressure exists, but one cannot ignore the national aspect
– Mr. President, some anxiety has been observed in Azerbaijan in
relation to opening borders between Turkey and Armenia. What would you
say in this regard?
– This is Turkey’s internal affair. We have not received an official
notification from Turkey. So, I would say nothing about it at the
moment.
– What would you say if Turkey, however, opened the borders with
Armenia?
– Sure, it would cause damage to Azerbaijan-Turkey relationship. Our
President Heydar Aliyev used to say that we are one nation, two
states. So I don’t think it’s possible. In addition, Armenians claim
not only for our lands but also Turkey’s. Realization of such an idea
would arouse deep regret in Azerbaijani people.
– Turkey, however, is preparing to join the European Union, so opening
the borders is important condition. Turkey is taking certain steps
concerning the problem of Cyprus as well.
– We know Turkey is subject to pressure. We also want Turkey to join
the European Union. But Turkey is a large state. Putting pressure does
not makeit necessary to ignore national aspect. Discussions have not
yet started, and even if they start, how long will they take – one
year, five yearsâ=80¦
Baku Armenians are our men’s wives
– Do you maintain contacts with Armenian President?
– We once met.
– Did he, for instance, congratulate you on the election as President?
– No.
– Did he send a letter of condolences after Heydar bey’s passing away?
– Yes, it was a telegram.
– Population of Armenia is decreasing. People leave the country.
– But Armenian lobby stays. One should not take Armenia just as a
country. Armenian Diaspora is very strong.
– Are there still Armenians in Azerbaijan?
– There are some 20 thousand Armenians in Baku. They are mainly wives
of Azerbaijani men.
– What about Azerbaijani women married Armenians.
– Very few. It happened very rarely in the past.
We don’t have Islamic movement
– Does the Islamic movement exist in Azerbaijan, and how strong is it?
– No, it is out of question. Our public is guided by the principle of
good will.
– How much is percentage of Christian population?
– 5-7 percents.
– What about Jews?
– Some 100 thousand people.
– Greater than in Turkey.
– There have always been a lot of Jews here. Both in Soviet times and
now. They live in peace.
– Are those Russians who have stayed here pleased with their living
conditions?
– I think they really are, they would leave otherwise. We treat them
kindly.
No recognizable part in multipart/alternative.