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Edited on March 5, 2000
Lexis-Nexis News Update
Date: Sat, 4 Mar 2000 16:42:06 -0500 (EST)
Copyright 2000 Interfax News Agency
Interfax Russian News
AZERBAIJAN GROUP WANTS WAR TO SOLVE KARABAKH CONFLICT
BAKU. March 1 (Interfax) A group set up in Azerbaijan several days ago
is demanding a military solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The Karabakh Liberation Organization (OOK) has an active membership of
about 10,000, but sympathizers number many times more, OOK leader Atif
Nagiyev told Interfax on Wednesday.
The OOK is hoping to rally refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh, who number
about 1 million, under its banners, Nagiyev said, arguing that several
years of international efforts to negotiate a solution had proved that
political means alone could not settle the conflict.
But the OOK, he said, incorporated no military bodies and wants the state
to move troops against the Armenians. However, he added, the Azerbaijani
army is not yet strong enough to win a guaranteed victory.
Moreover, Nagiyev went on, Azerbaijan's current government is incapable of
solving the Nagorno-Karabakh problem by either military or political
means. Power should go over to nationalists, who would take far-reaching
steps to strengthen the armed forces, he said.
------------
Copyright 2000 Interfax News Agency
Interfax Russian News
AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT INSISTS ON DIRECT TALKS WITH ARMENIAN
COUNTERPART
BAKU. March 1 (Interfax) Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev advocates
the need for negotiating the Nagorno Karabakh problem directly with his
Armenian counterpart Robert Kocharian.
The OSCE Minsk Group must intensify its efforts toward a Nagorno Karabakh
settlement, Aliyev said after a meeting with representatives of the
European Parliament.
Furthermore, Azerbaijan expects to become a member of the Council of
Europe this year, he said.
Azerbaijan's membership is linked to three problems notably the combat of
corruption, fair parliamentary elections in late 2000 and progress in the
Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict settlement, a European Parliament
representative told Interfax on Wednesday.
Azeri Opposition Parties Set Up Resistance Movement
Armenian News by Noyan Tapan, Armenpress, Aztag, March 1, 2000
YEREVAN (Armenpress)-Several opposition parties in Azerbaijan
signed a protocol in Baku on Tuesday about the creation of a resistance
movement. The loose grouping is composed of Azerbaijani People's
Front, Musavat party, Democratic party and some other minor parties
and organizations.
As reported by the BBC, the main goal of the new grouping will be
resisting the Azerbaijani leadership "not to allow it to sign a
treacherous
armistice over the Karabakh conflict," commented one of the opposition
leaders.
The initiative of setting up the resistance movement belongs to
ex-president Elchibey. Vice-chairman of Azerbaijani People's Front
Ghazanfaroghlu is quoted as saying that "it is not accidental that the
resistance movement was created at the decisive stage of the Karabakh
conflict regulation process. We must demand from the government not to
take treacherous steps. In the future when our army becomes stronger
and more efficient, our occupied lands must be liberated through military
means."
A senior official from the presidential staff Mirzazade is quoted as
saying, "The Karabakh issue is used by the opposition to obtain power
and it cannot create serious problems for current authorities." Local
experts are also pessimistic about the new grouping's future. They note
that the National Independence Party, one of the leading opposition
parties has not joined.
REFUGEES NOT PLANNING TO RETURN TO LIBERATED VILLAGES
ANS News, March 3, 2000
The areas in Azerbaijan's frontline Fuzuli region which have
been liberated from under Armenian occupation are under
complete control of Azeri troops stationed in the region.
Field engineers have already started clearing area from
mines and the process is currently ongoing. The task local
executive bodies are facing is to make those people who used
to live here to return. The UN's appropriate structures are
engaged in restoration of villages in the Fuzuli area. A
person to move back to his/her house is assisted
$1,000-10,000 as a reward for his return. But a condition
is laid down - neither car could be bought, nor business
started for this money. Stock-raising and farming are given
the most preference. Light and water problems have already
been settled. Unlike Baku, lights are not shut down at
night here. Nonetheless, the number of those returning to
their homes is not high enough. Only those living in
refugee camps return, whereas refugees who settled in cities
and towns are reluctant to do so yet. The refugees who
returned already to their homes say they suffer mostly from
unemployment. The refugees returning to their villages keep
being aided by local authorities, each person getting 20,000
manats per month. The military stationed in the area is the
guarantor of population's security.
Ilgar Mikayiloglu
Habarlar-L Newslist
Edited on March 2, 2000
PRESIDENT ALIYEV RETURNS HOME
On February 26, President Aliyev arrived in London from
Washington D.C. and on February 28 returned to Baku. At the
Bina Airport of Baku, the President made a brief statement for
press. Afterwards, asked about the visit results, the President
said the trip was a success. He mentioned that he had met with
President Clinton, Secretary of State Albright, National
Security Adviser to the U.S. President Berger, Defense
Secretary Cohen, Energy Secretary Richardson, Secretary for
Agriculture Glickman, president of EximBank, government
officials, journalists from the "The Washington Post" and "The
New York Times". Among key issues touched upon during the
meetings were the negotiated settlement of the Karabakh
conflict, Caspian energy diplomacy, Baku-Ceyhan MEP and
Trans-Caspian gas pipeline projects, U.S.-Azeri political and
economic ties.
Asked whether the parties had considered the issue of abolition
of Section 907, the Azeri President said he had witnessed the
aspiration of the Clinton Administration to repeal the unfair
bill, however, the initiative was facing stiff resistance in
the U.S. Congress due to the influential Armenian lobby.
President Aliyev pointed out the passive position of the Azeri
Diaspora in the USA. He indicated that contrary to this, the
Armenian lobby was taking every opportunity of promulgating all
over the world of the alleged genocide and human rights
violations of their compatriots. President Aliyev said the USA
was currently considering softening Section 907. He added that
in 2000 Azerbaijan would receive a little more U.S. assistance,
while Armenia - less, which has already triggered public
outrage in Armenia.
...(President is asked about the chechen civilans hospitalized in Azerbaijan)
The President was also asked about the idea of a territorial
exchange of the Armenian Megri corridor for the Azerbaijani
Lachin one, which has been largely speculated in media of late.
Heydar Aliyev said he had not discussed such a possibility with
his Armenian counterpart R. Kocharian.
...(asked about the Transcaspian pipeline)
NYT:Azerbaijan Lobbies Amid Mix of Oil, Politics and a Congressional Blacklist (exerpts concerning the Karabakh problem)
March 2, 2000
By MARC LACEY
WASHINGTON, March 1 -- Standing in a light rain under the
watchful eye of police, the protesters waved signs and shouted:
"Aliyev is a murderer! Aliyev is a dictator! Aliyev, go home!"
But inside a lecture hall here last month, Heydar Aliyev, the
president of Azerbaijan, could not hear a word of it. Showing
multicolored maps on an overhead projector to demonstrate what
he called Armenia's aggressive ways, Mr. Aliyev, a former
Soviet deputy premier and leader of the local K.G.B., held court
over an assembly of influential foreign policy experts. Without
a doubt, he seemed to have the upper hand over his opponents
outside.
In reality, however, it was the band of protesters who had the
political muscle behind them, frustrating Mr. Aliyev's recent
attempts to end a Congressional ban on United States government
aid to Azerbaijan, a measure passed to punish the country for
its blockade of Armenia.
Azerbaijan has been on a government blacklist since 1992 -- the
only former Soviet republic to be punished in this way -- thanks
to a well-coordinated lobbying effort by Armenian-Americans and
a strong coalition of supporters of Armenia in Congress.
But the Azerbaijanis are pushing back. Mr. Aliyev himself has
engaged in face-to-face lobbying, and some high-powered hired
professionals are doing the same behind the scenes. Adding to
the effort, some of the most powerful American oil companies
have been acting quietly on Azerbaijan's behalf.
Most of this country's big oil companies have an interest in the
energy-rich region. Three American companies, Exxon Mobil,
Unocal and Pennzoil-Quaker State, are part of the Azeri
International Operating Company. Other companies, like Chevron
and Texaco, are active in other parts of the Caspian Sea region.
One United States oil company executive, who spoke only on the
condition that he not be identified, said the restrictions on
government assistance to Azerbaijan were interfering with the
efforts of American companies to develop oil there. At the same
time, the oil companies have sought to avoid becoming involved
in the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict, he said.
The U.S.-Azerbaijan Business Council, a group that promotes
business ties between the two countries, has worked to overturn
the restrictions. Jayhun Mollazade, president of the council,
said that the restrictions were a "political irritant between
Azerbaijan and the United States" and that they also interfered
with business. Mr. Mollazade said his group received some
financing from oil companies but has much broader support.
Despite these efforts on Azerbaijan's behalf, the restrictions
on aid remain in place. The Armenian-American community, which
numbers about a million people, is well organized in its support
for the restrictions. Bound together by remembrances of the
1915 massacre of a million Armenians by the Turks,
Armenian-Americans are wise to the ways of grass-roots activism:
letters to lawmakers, campaign contributions and even protests
in the rain.
Mr. Aliyev made his case directly to President Clinton last
month during a 45-minute meeting at the White House that
included both Mr. Aliyev's entourage and Mr. Clinton's top
foreign policy advisers.
If Mr. Clinton's view had been the only one that mattered, Mr.
Aliyev would have accomplished his mission. The White House
contends that the ban on American assistance to Azerbaijan is
counterproductive and ought to be lifted. But despite
entreaties from administration officials, the majority of
Congress has a different view.
What makes the conflict so important to Washington policy makers
is the strategic importance of Azerbaijan, which shares borders
with Iran on the south and Russia on the north. To the American
business community, the geography that matters most is
Azerbaijan's claim over vast oil reserves in the adjacent
Caspian Sea.
...
The ban on American assistance stems from the bitter conflict
between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, an enclave
of ethnic Armenians in southern Azerbaijan that has been seized
by the Armenians. The two sides reached a cease-fire in 1994
and despite flare-ups continue to engage in peace talks.
"I think he's serious about coming to a peaceful settlement to
the conflict," said Representative Frank Pallone Jr., a Democrat
from New York and co-chairman of the 89-member Congressional
caucus on Armenian issues.
But despite Mr. Pallone's view of Mr. Aliyev's good
intentions, the congressman contends that the restrictions ought
to remain in place until Azerbaijan lifts the blockade on its
rival.
Armenian officials agree. Armen Kharazian, deputy chief of
mission at the Armenian Embassy, argued that lifting the aid
restrictions would send the wrong message to Azerbaijan. The
two neighboring countries have no trade or diplomatic relations,
Mr. Kharazian said, noting that the border is closed and most
railroads and pipelines between the two states are shut down.
Mr. Aliyev demonstrated clearly that hard feelings remain.
After the White House meeting, he told reporters that he was
working to reach a settlement with the Armenians but vehemently
argued that the aggressors were the Armenians.
"Over one million citizens of Azerbaijan have been ousted
forcibly from the occupied lands and they have been living in
hard circumstances in tents," Mr. Aliyev said, a contention
that Mr. Kharazian of Armenia dismissed as "propaganda."
In the White House meeting, Mr. Clinton repeated his opposition
to the restrictions on aid, known as Section 907 of the Freedom
Support Act. But Mr. Clinton also let his counterpart know
that his hands were tied.
Mr. Clinton could waive the restrictions if he made a finding
that Azerbaijan had made progress toward ending the blockade.
But mindful of the strong opposition among Armenian-Americans,
he has left it to Congress to lift the ban.
"They haven't wanted to take the heat," said Charles H.
Fairbanks Jr., an expert on the region who heads the Central
Asia-Caucasus Institute at Johns Hopkins University.
The standoff leaves Mr. Aliyev -- who came to power in 1993
after a military coup and won election in 1998 in a contest the
State Department said was "marred by irregularities" -- with an
up-close look at democracy in action. In the interview, Mr.
Aliyev expressed both an understanding of, and an annoyance
with, Congress.
After his White House visit, Mr. Aliyev stood in the driveway
outside and railed against what he regarded as an "unfair,
unjust law passed by the Congress." But showing an
understanding of how lawmaking operates here, Azerbaijan has
also hired two lobbying firms to press its case on Capitol Hill.
Edwin C. Graves, who calls Mr. Aliyev "a real source of
stability in the region," is a sole practitioner who receives
$36,000 every six months to push for the repeal of Section 907.
Baker, Donelson is a law firm that represents the Azerbaijan
government on legal and political matters. George Cranwell
Montgomery, the firm's managing partner, arranged a dinner last
April for Mr. Aliyev to meet leading senators, according to his
filing with the Justice Department made under the Foreign Agents
Registration Act.
The dinner came just before a crucial Senate vote that nearly
toppled the restrictions. Senator Sam Brownbeck, a Kansas
Republican who has been a strong backer of the Azerbaijanis'
cause, attached the measure ending the ban on Azerbaijani aid to
a spending bill for foreign operations. But advocates of
Armenia rounded up the votes to defeat the effort, and
legislative aides expect no follow-up measure in either chamber
any time soon.
The Azerbaijanis are mulling their next move. They intend to
continue pressing for a lifting of the ban, but they have as
their fallback position more relaxed restrictions. Already,
humanitarian assistance has been exempted and oil companies have
successfully pushed through provisions to allow for some
government aid -- through the Overseas Private Investment
Corporation and the Trade Development Agency -- aimed at helping
American companies doing business in Azerbaijan.
During his Washington visit, Mr. Aliyev made a point of
condemning what he called the outsized influence of the Armenian
lobby. But Mr. Aliyev's vehemence did not sit well with a
member of that lobby, Ross Vartian.
"We're impassioned and focused, clearly," agreed Mr. Vartian,
who is executive director of the Armenian Assembly of America, a
Washington-based nonprofit group that pushed for the ban on aid
to Azerbaijan. "But I wouldn't call us formidable. Yeah, we
have a large grass-roots operation. But we also have the facts
on our side.
...(Mr Vartian resembles himself to David, but not Galiath)
Copyright 2000 The New York Times
Azernews-Azerkhabar, No. 9 (139), March 1-9, 2000
ELCHIBAY`S FIRST POST-RECUPERATION NEWS CONFERENCE HELD
For the first time after a 2-month illness, chairman of the
PFPA and "Integral Azerbaijan Union" Abulfaz Elchibay held a
2-hour meeting with journalists Friday. The first topic he
touched upon in his statement was the Khojali massacre
anniversary. He said "organizers of the Khojali genocide are
currently in Moscow, while we are looking for an enemy from
within". According to him, the holocaust was masterminded and
perpetrated by Armenians and Russian military in order to
break the will of the Azeri people, sow fear and prepare
groundwork for the capture of Shusha and other provinces of
Azerbaijan. "We will do our utmost for the culprit not to get
away unpunished and for the genocide to be recognized
worldwide", he said.
Touching upon the socio-political situation in the country, A.
Elchibay blamed it on the country`s leadership, on Heydar
Aliyev in particular. He condemned the arrest of Dr.
Chehragani in Iran, explained the victory of reformers in the
elections in Iran by a high turn-out of women and younger
people and called upon his countrymen to take an active part
in the up-coming elections to the parliament. With regard to
internal issues of the PFPA, A. Elchibay said there was no
ambivalence within the party and added that the party
"possesses a strong inner dynamism".
A. Elchibay censured Russia`s atrocities in Chechnya and noted
that the Upper Karabakh problem should not be compared to it.
Habarlar-L
Edited on February 29, 2000
European Parliament's delegation holds meetings in the Azeri Parliament
Baku. 28.02.2000. /AzadInform/. Today the European Parliament delegation headed
by the EP spokesman on the Southern Caucasian republics Per Garton in a body of
6 men held a number of meetings in the Milli Mejlis.
During the meeting with pro-opposition people's deputies, people's deputy Yusif
Bagirzadeh told his protest against the European Parliament's last year decision
on recognition of Armenians' rights with regard to Upper Karabakh. He mentioned
of the fact that the very Armenians occupied the Azeri territories and told his
support to objective estimation of events.
Afterwards, Mr. Per Garton addressed the meeting himself and became familiar
with deputies position over the pro-opposition force's current activity as well
as opening of the Azerbaijan-Armenia and Armenia-Nakhchivan transport corridors.
The guests met separately with the Parliament speaker Murtuz Aleskerov and
chairman of the MM SC for Natural Resources and Energy Affairs Asya Manafova.
AzadInform news bulletin for 28/02/2000
Karabakh Officials Meet with OSCE Reps
Noyan Tapan Armenian News, February 28, 2000
#########################################################################
HL NOTE: Some or all of the following news articles ignore such basic
facts that:
1) Karabakh region of Azerbaijan was, is, and will remain to be a
legitimate and internationally recognized part of Azerbaijan;
2) Karabakh, and seven other regions are illegally occupied by
armed forces of the Republic of Armenia, the aggressor;
3) Puppet and self-proclaimed (Nagorno) Karabakh Republic ("NKR") is an
illegitimate and criminal entity, not recognized by any international
organization or state;
4) In 1992, Khankendi has been restored as an official historical name
of the town, that was renamed to Stepanakert by J. Stalin in 1923
#########################################################################
STEPANAKERT (Noyan Tapan)-Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Deputy
Foreign Minister Ashot Gulian met with OSCE officials Monday.
During the meeting, OSCE Tbilisi Office Coordinator Karel Kratky
introduced the new field assistant of the OSCE
Chairman-in-Office's Personal Representative Yuhas Shandor
(Hungary).
The sides exchanged views on furthering cooperation between the
OSCE mission and the Karabakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They
also discussed the results of the February 22 front-line
monitoring.
Meanwhile,. Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Foreign Minister Naira
Melkoumian met with Executive Director of the London Information
Network on Conflicts and State Building (LINKS) Denis Samouth,
Director Richard Samuel, former British Ambassador to Armenia
David Miller and BBC correspondent Tomas di Vaal, who were on a
fact-finding visit to the Karabakh.
The guests said they had come to Karabakh to be familiarized with
the position of the Karabakh authorities on the Karabakh
settlement and the attitude of the Karabakh people to possible
compromises, and to assist in the establishment of peace and
stability in the region.
Melkoumian informed the British delegation of the steps Karabakh
authorities had undertaken in finding a political solution. The
minister stressed the strong interest of the Karabakh authorities
in assisting European NGOs, in particular LINKS, to build
confidence between the two conflicting states in order to ensure
peace and stability in the region.
Habarlar-L
Edited on February 25, 2000
February 24, 2000
Exchange Of Territories And Allies
Victoria Sokolova
SOURCE: IZVESTIA, p. 3
American plan for settling ethnic problem between Armenia and Azerbaijan
may leave Russia out of picture, says news analyst.
Russia may find itself "odd man out" in the event that Armenia and
Azerbaijan come to terms for establishing territorial corridors giving
access to ethnic enclaves in those two Transcaucasian republics, IZVESTIA
writes in its commentary.
Azerbaijan would consider it a real breakthrough at the talks with Armenia
on a Karabakh settlement if the sides reach an agreement on establishing
corridors to ethnic enclaves. Such an agreement would give Azerbaijan a
corridor through Armenian territory to the Nakhichevan Autonomous
Republic, and likewise, it would give Armenia a corridor to
Nagorny-Karabakh in Azeri territory. A statement to this effect has been
made by Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Vilayet Guliyev.
Such a plan for exchanging territories is based on quite a simple idea of
linking the autonomous enclaves with the territories of Armenia and
Azerbaijan.
The signing of such an agreement in the course of the current direct talks
between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia, Heidar Aliyev and Robert
Kocharyan, would signify a failure of Russia's policy in the Caucasus, the
author points out. If the plan materializes, Russia stands to lose oil
transportation routes, and it will make the Baku-Novorossiisk trunk-line
worthless.
Besides, Russia will be confronted with the need to totally overhaul its
strategy in the Caucasus - a strategy that for years was based on the
confrontation between Armenia and Azerbaijan. But Russia's influence in
the given region has long ago come to loggerheads with America's interests
connected, first of all, with oil production and oil transportation
routes.
The plan for exchanging territories [corridors] was worked out and tabled
precisely by the United States. Earlier, both Armenia and Azerbaijan
criticized such a proposal, and were not ready to make such mutual
concessions. But now, it looks as if the situation is rapidly changing.
Is Russia's Foreign Ministry prepared for such swift changes? the author
queries. At the moment, Kocharyan and Aliyev are conducting direct
negotiations (without mediation on the part of the OSCE Minsk group), and
only they can adopt a decision that could finally settle the existing
ethnic problems.
But it seems that the Russian Foreign Ministry is not ready and not
authorized to comment on what such a solution of the Karabakh problem may
spell out for Russia.
It is difficult to believe that Russian diplomats fail to realize the
possible consequences from such a [territorial] "exchange" agreement, the
author remarks. Diplomats remain diplomats. It appears the [Russian]
Foreign Ministry needs "an official agreement" in order to comment a fact
of utmost importance to Russia.
In the event of a successful outcome of the talks - the signing of an
official agreement on Nagorny-Karabakh - it will already be too late to
make any comments, the author explains. Overnight, Russia may lose one of
the most advantageous positions in its geostrategic policy. Who then will
need the Baku-Novorossiisk oil pipeline? the author asks in conclusion.
Copyright 2000 RUSSICA Information Inc. - RusData DiaLine
Russian Press Digest
February 25, 2000, Friday
Armenia, Azerbaijan reportedly considering territorial swap
SOURCE: Source: Interfax news agency, Moscow, in English 1544 gmt 23 Feb 2000
Baku, 23rd February: Azerbaijan and Armenia are reportedly considering a
possible swap of the transport corridor from Azerbaijan to the Autonomous
Republic of Nakhichevan for one between Armenia and Nagornyy Karabakh.
The idea for the exchange was raised as a component of the Karabakh
settlement during the talks between Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev
and Armenian President Robert Kocharyan, diplomatic sources have said.
The eight rounds of talks were held in absolute secrecy and no official
reports have been released, the source said.
In an interview, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Vilayat Guliyev said
Azerbaijan would regard the talks on Karabakh as a great success if they
included the granting of a corridor to Nakhichevan.
Such a corridor could clear the way for the unification of Azerbaijan and
Nakhichevan, while enhancing the security of the latter, Guliyev said.
Guliyev's words should not be regarded as an expression of his attitude to
the territorial swap, a Foreign Ministry spokesman told Interfax today.
Speaking in the United States yesterday, Aliyev said that, judging by
Armenian press reports, if Armenia were granted a corridor to Nagornyy
Karabakh through the Azerbaijani district of Lachin, Azerbaijan would
demand a similar corridor through the Armenian district of Megri.
The transport corridor between Armenia and Karabakh has been in operation
for many years. At the beginning of the 1990s, the Lachin district, which
it crosses, was occupied by Armenian troops during the armed stage of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.
Copyright 2000 British Broadcasting Corporation
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts
Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2000 17:25:27 -0500
AZERBAIJAN NEWSLETTER
EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN - WASHINGTON, D.C. - FEBRUARY 25, 2000
Khojaly: Eight Years After the Massacre
On February 26, 1992, Armenian armed forces backed by Russia's 366-th
Infantry Regiment massacred more than 700 civilians and destroyed the
Azerbaijani town of Khojaly (Xocali) in what the Human Rights Watch called
"the largest massacre to date in the conflict."
The name of Khojaly, previously virtually unknown, has become a symbol of
unprecedented brutality against peaceful civilians and crimes against
humanity in the region. The extent of the cruelty of this massacre against
women, children and elderly is shocking. Even today, seven years after, for
people of Azerbaijan, the word Khojaly is synonymous with pain and sorrow.
Memorial, a Russian human rights group, reported that "scores of the corpses
bore traces of profanation. Doctors on a hospital train in Agdam noted no
less than four corpses that had been scalped and one that had been beheaded.
... and one case of live scalping:"
Various other witnesses reported horrifying details of the massacre. The
late Azerbaijani journalist Chingiz Mustafayev was first to film the
aftermath of what happened in Khojaly. "Some children were found with
severed ears; the skin had been cut from the left side of an elderly woman's
face; and men had been scalped," wrote Mustafayev.
The massacre of Khojaly set a pattern of destruction and ethnic cleansing
methodically carried out by the Armenian armed forces. On November 29, 1993,
Newsweek quoted a senior US Government official as saying: 'What we see now
is a systematic destruction of every village in their way. It's vandalism."
Events in Khojaly were followed by more people being killed and ethnically
cleansed, more towns and villages burned and destroyed. As a result of the
Armenian aggression, 20% of Azerbaijani territory is still occupied and
about 1 million people displaced from their homes have lived in refugee
camps for years.
In his address to the nation, Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev said:
"Khojaly saw unprecedented atrocities and brutal massacre of civilians. To
prevent such atrocities from happening anywhere in the world, we should work
hard to tell the international community the truth about Khojaly, and all
the injustice and hardship suffered by the people of Azerbaijan in the
course of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. The international community
should voice its clear and unambiguous judgement."
Every year religious leaders of Azerbaijan's Christian, Jewish, and Muslim
communities issue appeals on the eve of commemoration of the massacre of
Khojaly. They urge the international community to condemn the February
26,1992 bloodshed and facilitate liberation of the occupied territories.
Religious leaders of Azerbaijan's diverse communities stated their rejection
of extremism and the policy of ethnic cleansing conducted by Armenia. They
see the future of Azerbaijan as being a democratic secular society based on
humanistic values.
"We appeal to the international community with pain and hope," said a
statement by survivors of Khojaly. Years later, those residents of Khojaly,
who survived the massacre, are appealing to hold Armenia responsible for
this crime.
Khojaly is, perhaps, the most tragic page in independent Azerbaijan's
history and a vivid reminder of the consequences of Armenian aggression.
Remembering Khojaly is made more painful because eight years later its
former residents are still scattered among hundreds of thousands of
displaced persons in refugee camps around Azerbaijan, and 20% of the country
is still under occupation.
The world should know about Khojaly
Azerbaijan Newsletter is published by
The Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan
927 15th Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005
Tel: (202) 842-0001 Fax: (202) 842-0004
www.azembassy.com
Contact: Elin Suleymanov
ARMENIAN DIASPORA CAN'T REACH ITS GOALS
The Senate of France won?t discuss the issue on recognition of
the alleged Armenian genocide of 1915 at its March 9 session.
The decision was taken at the committee session of the French
Parliament?s higher chamber. The arguments of pro-Armenian MPs
were considered as groundless with 6 MPs voting for and 14
against. It was noted that discussion of the alleged Armenian
genocide could have a negative impact on peaceful adjustment of
the processes going in the South Caucasus. Meanwhile, the US
Armenian Assembly expressed against Clinton Administration?s
new financial strategy which envisages increasing financial
assistance to Azerbaijan and decreasing that to Armenia. This
was announced by the US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright,
who added that no financial assistance is envisioned to
Nagorno-Karabakh in the forthcoming fiscal year.
Ilgar Mikayiloglu
ANS News Feb 24
MEASURES COMMEMORATING KHOJALI TRAGEDY START
The Young Patriot Organization (YPO) held a meeting at the UN
Resource Centre dedicated to the 8th anniversary of the Khojali
tragedy. Speaking of the genocide the Armenians committed
against the population of a small Azeri town trying at the same
time to represent themselves as a party which suffered the
most, the speakers mentioned Armenians?? recent appeal to
France?s Senate which requested the French MPs to recognize the
alleged Armenian genocide of 1915. The YPO leaders emphasized
the necessity of holding a number of measures aimed at raising
the patriotism spirit among the youth of Azerbaijan.
Ilgar Mikayiloglu
ANS News Feb 24
New memorial complex in the honor of the Khojali victims to be opened in Naftalan on February 25
Baku. 24.02.2000. /AzadInform/. Today the adviser to state on National Affairs
Hidayet Orujov held at the Presidential Palace a press conference on the
occasion of the 8th anniversary of Khojali carnage. As a result of Armenian
barbarians attacks together with the Russia's 366 infantry regiment to the 7
thousand people Khokali town on February 25-26 there were killed 106 women, 83
children, 8 families; 25 underage children lost both parents while 130 lost one
of them; 56 men were brutally killed; 487 - crippled and 150 men taken into
captivity. Total volume of damage to Khojali amounted to 5 bn ruble (in
accordance with 1992 rate). According to H. Orujev, the "ASALA" and other terror
organizations played indispensable role in perpetration of the Khojali genocide.
Along with this the Armenian and Russian special service bodies had tested new
chemical weapons and T-80 tanks.
Nevertheless, that time president of Azerbaijan Ayaz Mutallibov didn't take any
measure before and after the accident.
Only after 1993 the Khojali carnage was re-considered. Thus, pursuant to the
presidential decree from February 25, 1997 every year on February 26, at 17.00
p.m. the whole Azeri nation reveres Khojali victims' memory with minute of
silence.
The adviser to state H. Orujov, imparted on February 25 in Naftalan city there
will be opened a new memorial complex erected in the honor of the Khojali
victims at the expense of the Azeri government and initiative of the Azeri
president Heydar Aliyev.
AzadInform news bulletin for 25 February
All news were copied with permission from Habarlar-L Newslist
Edited on February 24, 2000
Copyright 2000 British Broadcasting Corporation
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts
February 23, 2000, Wednesday
Foreign minister calls for compromise over disputed Karabakh region
SOURCE: Source: ANS TV, Baku, in Azeri 1730 gmt 21 Feb 00
Text of report by Azerbaijani TV station ANS on 21st February
[Presenter] Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Vilayat Guliyev considers
statements by the so-called officials [of Nagornyy Karabakh about this
region] to be meaningless.
[Guliyev] Azerbaijan still prefers to resolve this [Armenian-Azerbaijani]
conflict through peaceful means, negotiations and political ways. Naturally,
this does not mean that Azerbaijan, in general, rules out resorting to
military means in resolving this issue. No, this is not so. We think that
the existing opportunities and resources for a peaceful resolution to the
conflict have not yet been completely used up.
We always agreed with Karabakh's joining the negotiations only if the
Azerbaijani and Armenian communities take an equal part in talks on the same
level. As far as compromises are concerned, from the beginning of the
negotiations both Azerbaijan and Armenia repeatedly declared that
compromises should be mutual, i.e. the sides have to move towards each
other.
Despite the fact that today Azerbaijani lands have been occupied by Armenia,
Armenia undoubtedly has to make some compromises for the peaceful settlement
of the conflict. This opinion was repeatedly stressed in Armenian President
Robert Kocharyan's recent press conferences, when he said that the conflict
should be resolved on the basis of mutual compromises. From this point of
view, we describe these negotiations as talks to check what compromises
Armenia is ready to make and on what level and to what degree these
compromises are.
Habarlar-L
Edited on February 22, 2000
Heydar Aliyev: "Our Upper Karabakh problem doesn't consist of Section 907 only"
Baku. 21.02.2000. /AzadInform/. Meeting with collaborators of the "New York
Times" paper during his visit to the US the president of the Republic of
Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev elucidated US-Azerbaijani relations and sociopolitical
processes taking place in the region. He answered some questions of the
journalists. He said, attempts at him had been arranged by the foreign special
services bodies and domestic criminals. Among the special services bodies Head
Intelligence Administration under the Defense Ministry of the Russian Federation
shows a great activity and there are concrete facts and proofs, Heydar Aliyev
said and added, he had written clear letters to the president Boris Yeltsin.
Upper Karabakh problem doesn't consist of Section 907 only and the settlement of
the Karabakh problem pursues an aim to establish a peace between Armenia and
Azerbaijan. But, US, rendering assistance to all new independent states, doesn't
aid Azerbaijan for Section 907. President Heydar Aliyev!
called the Section 907 of the US Congress the most unfair document of the US
history. At present there are 100 American companies operating in Azerbaijan and
for 5 years they invested in Azerbaijan $1,7 bn. Stating his position to the
export of Azerbaijani gas and oil via Iran, Heydar Aliyev said, he thinks,
opinion in US on this issue changes. Because up to day I haven't been asked such
a question. Always it was being asked, "How would be export of the oil through
the West, Baku-Ceyhan pipeline?" H. Aliyev didn't exclude use of the Iranian
variant in the future.
Habarlar-L
