From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Tue Feb 04 2003 - 16:42:20 EST
Yerevan Press Club of Armenia, 'Yeni Nesil' Journalists' Union of
Azerbaijan and Association of Diplomacy Correspondents of Turkey present
'Armenia-Azerbaijan-Turkey: Journalist Initiative-2002' Project. As a
part of the project www.mediadialogue.org web site has been designed,
featuring the most interesting publications from the press of Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Turkey on issues of mutual concern. The latest updates on
the site are weekly delivered to the subscribers.
[04-02-2003 'Armenia-Turkey']
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OSKANIAN: TURKEY MISSED THE CHANCE OF NORMALIZING RELATIONS
Source : "Turkish Daily News" newspaper (Turkey)
Author:
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian stated, "Turkey missed the
golden chance for normalizing relations," Anatolia News Agency reported.
In a written statement, the Armenian Foreign Ministry declared that
Oskanian spoke in Paris at "Pro Armenia" forum. Oskanian stated that
Turkey insisted on the need for finding a solution for the
Nagorno-Karabagh issue. Oskanian claimed that Turkey missed the chance
with a short vision approach and said, "Turkey missed the golden chance
of normalizing relations."
Turkey does not establish relations with Armenia due to the
Armenia-Azerbaijan war in Nagorno-Karabagh. Turkey states that Armenia
invaded Azerbaijan territory Nagorno-Karabagh.
He underlined that the Nagorno-Karabagh Armenians' right to self
determination shall be recognized. He stated that this will contribute
to peace and stability.
Oskanian declared that Nagorno-Karabagh Armenians reached an historical
victory and that it is not limited only with the military aspect.
Oskanian claimed that Nagorno-Karabagh is not part of Azerbaijan.
Oskanian asked allegedly Armenian "genocide" to be internationally
recognized.
Armenia asks Turkey to recognize the Armenian claim that Armenians were
genocide victims of the Ottomans. Turkey does not accept the Armenian
claims at all.
[04-02-2003 'Karabagh Conflict']
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"UNCLE SAM" SCORNS THE SOVEREIGNTY OF AZERBAIJAN AGAIN
Source : "Zerkalo" newspaper (Azerbaijan)
Author: R. Gariboglu
Congress again has allocated direct governmental assistance to the
so-called "MKR" bypassing Baku
It is practically with annual periodicity that the US Congress passes a
law on "international transactions", stipulating allocation of about 20
million USD as state assistance to Mountainous Karabagh. Every time the
question of in what status Mountainous Karabagh receives this assistance
is diplomatically hushed up.
Official Washington relentlessly reiterates that it acknowledges the
territorial integrity of our country and, as a consequence, believes
Mountainous Karabagh to be a part of Azerbaijan. Yet the law on the
international transactions, signed by the US president himself, is
essentially controversial to this officially proclaimed attitude of
Washington.
The point is that in this law the amount of the US state assistance
provided to Mountainous Karabagh is inscribed by a separate line. That
is, the law gives a separate specification of the assistance amounts to
be received by Armenia, Azerbaijan and Mountainous Karabagh. If one
follows the rationale of the law, its appears that the US Government
views the status of Mountainous Karabagh to be equivalent to those of
Armenia and Azerbaijan, the independent states.
Before the abolition of Amendment 907 the situation was even more
absurd. This amendment banned the US assistance to Azerbiajan on a
governmental level by the international transaction law. Yet, according
to the same law the Mountainous Karabagh, which US claimed to be
considering the territory of Azerbaijan, received about 20 million USD
every year. In fact, the US law on international transaction have always
contradicted the international legal norms (so are many other aspects of
foreign policy of this country, claiming the role of democratic norm
advocate).
Some people can disagree and announce that this could not be otherwise,
since Azerbaijan is not controlling the territory of Mountainous
Karabagh and refuses to maintain any contacts with its illegitimate
administration. This is true. But had there been a will, a way out could
have been found even in this situation. If Mountainous Karabagh cannot
do without the American assistance, let the US Congress allocate these
funds, but without violating the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan at
legislatively. Eventually, the assistance provided to Mountainous
Karabagh could have been registered inside the amount allocated to
Azerbaijan, to keep everyone satisfied. Although, in this regard it is
not the satisfaction of Azerbaijani ambitions that is important, but the
adherence to the simplest international legal norms.
In its current form the law on international transactions is another
display of the state policy of double standards applied by the USA. We
have not even touched upon the fact that the volumes of American
assistance to Mountainous Karabagh, where by official data, about 100
thousand people reside only, is only four times less that the amounts
allocated for the remaining part of Azerbaijan, having over 8 million
population. That is, the remaining population of Azerbaijan is 80 times
as much as the Armenian ethnic minority, but they receive only four
times as much assistance. Can about a million people (regardless of what
you call them, refugees or displaced persons) need the American
assistance to a lesser extent that 100 thousand ethnic Armenians?
Every time the US diplomats explain these, mildly speaking, unclear
decision by the presence of strong Armenian lobby at the Congress.
Truly, there are more than enough pro-Armenian deputies at the US
Congress. They are the most numerous group of the House of
Representatives. Yet, when the interests of the USA wanted that, namely,
when the need for anti-terrorist coalition arose, President Bush got the
Congress to pass a decision abolishing Section 907. Before that for
almost ten years we were told that it is much easier for the US Congress
to pass a law, that to abolish it.
Also, until recently Washington openly called Chechens freedom fighters.
But, as soon as it became necessary to make an arrangement with Moscow
about Iraq, the official Washington announced its readiness to include a
part of Chechen organizations in the list of terrorist formations. This
was confirmed also by the US Ambassador in Russia Alexander Vershbow.
But this is not all. In autumn last year the White House unequivocally
opposed the possible "antiterrorist operation" of Russia in the Pankissi
Gorge of Georgia.
Yet, quite recently the US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage
said in interview to "Echo Moskvy" that the US will not criticize Moscow
should it make preventive attacks on Chechen militants on the territory
of Georgia. "A country which believes in preventive attacks finds it
difficult to criticize this position", Richard Armitage stated.
According to him the USA is concerned over the presence of terrorist
groups in Pankissi Gorge of Georgia.
According to the US Ambassador in Moscow, in this manner "the American
party expressed its appreciation for the support of Russia to Resolution
1441" on Iraq. To be brief, the White House can pass responsible
decisions and convince congressmen of their expedience. And no freedom
support principles and no lobbies can interfere with that.
Actually, this treatment of Azerbaijan signifies that we have not been
successful in our foreign policy. Being a Muslim country, Azerbaijan is
also an important link in the antiterrorist campaign, as well as in the
intended US coalition against Iraq. Using this factor, the official
Baku, most probably could have induced the White House to stick to a
more definite attitude with regard to Mountainous Karabagh. So far we
are observing the contrary situation.
See for yourself. None of the unacknowledged in CIS - neither Ossetia,
nor Abkhazia and Transdniestria - receive direct American assistance,
apart from the so-called "MKR".
But this is not all, either. See how deep it has all gone. The American
co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group Rudolph Perina, without the
slightest confusion, announces that international community is unready
to acknowledge the independence of either Abkhazia or Transdniestria,
but the situation with Mountainous Karabagh is "somewhat different". By
the way. We have not as yet got the promised statement of Azerbaijani
Foreign Office on this "diplomatic announcement" of Mr. Perina. When
Azerbaijan voices appeals of the necessity to start an antiterrorist
operation in Mountainous Karabagh, we are told that this is a different
case and official Baku will see no understanding in the matter. That is,
we are denied a right to "preventive strike". Iraq till today has to pay
for the short-term occupation of Kuwait over ten years ago. Yet, no only
there no help to us, we are even refused a right to liberate OUR
territories, occupied by Armenia for over ten years already.
What is the matter? Why is there so little respect for us across the
Atlantic and practically all over the world? The fact that we are not
respected (judging from the situation and the attitude) is undoubted. If
the matter is the Armenian lobby, let the White House officially
announce to Baku that is the hostage of a group of pro-Armenian
Congressmen. In this case it would be easier for Azerbaijan to set up
its foreign policy priorities. But, as it follows from the aforesaid,
when necessary, the White House can be quite unbending... It is quite
possible that the so much praised foreign policy of Azerbaijan also
pursues quite different goals, such as have the West "favor" some inner
political process in Azerbaijan...
One thing is certain. So far they keep wiping their foot upon us both
literally and figuratively speaking. As a character in a well-known
movies says: "My pain is not for me, my pain is for the country!"...
[30-01-2003 'Armenia-Azerbaijan']
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SUPPORTING ALIYEV'S DESPOTIC RULE MAY TURN AZERIS INTO US ENEMIES
Source : "Azg" newspaper (Armenia)
Author: Harut Sassounian
The governments of Turkey and Azerbaijan are represented in Washington
by some of the best public relations firms and lobbyists money can buy.
Nevertheless, their human rights records are so bad that even top-notch
American professionals have a hard time whitewashing their tarnished
image. Rather than taking steps to improve their domestic laws and
treating their citizens a little more kindly and gently, both of these
governments have wasted millions of dollars on high-powered American
firms, trying to fool the world by misrepresenting their misdeeds.
Turkey's image has not improved one bit even though it has engaged
several PR and lobbying companies for more than 20 years. Azerbaijan has
likewise shelled out huge sums of money to these companies, with the
same disappointing results. In recent weeks, several reports have been
issued exposing the serious violations of human rights in Azerbaijan.
The Washington Post published on January 12, 2003, a lengthy article
that severely criticized "Azerbaijan's authoritarian government, led by
Pres. Heydar Aliyev."
The newspaper decried the "strong-arm tactics" used by Aliyev - a
"tyrant" and an "old-style dictator." It said, "many Aliyev relatives
hold top government jobs and dominate private businesses in areas as
diverse as private school-building and caviar." According to human
rights groups, there are 300 political prisoners in the country.
The Washington Post described Azerbaijan as "one of the most corrupt
countries in the world." It also said that the country "has not had a
single fair election ... since Aliyev seized power" in 1993. "Despite
billions of dollars in oil and gas contracts signed by the government
with Western firms ... an estimated 1 million-plus Azeris out of a
population of 8 million have left the country seeking work," the Post
said.
Even the U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Ross Wilson, who usually uses
carefully couched diplomatic language to describe the oil-rich country's
many ills, was quite outspoken during a lecture he gave at the
University of Minnesota on January 13, 2003. He said that the rule of
law is weak and corruption is rampant. Warlords dominate various parts
of the country. Azerbaijan "has never held an election that met
international standards for freedom and fairness," Amb. Wilson said.
Similar critical reports were also issued by the Council of Europe, the
U.S. State Department (somewhat muted), and the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The Human Rights Watch, in
its 2003 report, stated that the government of Azerbaijan continued the
"detention of political prisoners, harassment of independent media, and
repression of social and political movements." The Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution last
September stating that it was "disturbed and shocked" by the violations
of most basic freedoms in Azerbaijan.
Pres. Aliyev staged a referendum last August which was purportedly
supported by 96% of the voters. The Human Rights Watch said, "the
government employed massive fraud and intimidation and ignored
opposition boycotts and objections from the international community.
Government claims of 88% voter turnout defied both feasibility and the
headcounts by independent and opposition observers, who concluded that
less than 30% of the electorate participated. ...There were many reports
of falsified votes and arrests and intimidation of polling station
commission members and opposition observers who refused to acquiesce in
ballot stuffing."
It is regrettable that the U.S. government turns a blind eye to such
grave violations of human rights just because Azerbaijan has some oil.
The Washington Post quoted Eldar Namazov, the director of the Public
Forum for Azerbaijan and a former top aide to Aliyev as saying, "it's
the old policy of the West - okay, he's a tyrant but he's our tyrant."
Another Azeri official, Etibar Mamedov, the leader of the Azerbaijan
National Independence Party warned: "the U.S. should be friends with the
people of Azerbaijan, and not just the president of Azerbaijan. A
president who infringes on the rights of his own people can't be a
serious ally for the United States." The shortsighted officials of the
Bush administration would do well to heed the warnings of Namazov and
Mamedov. The days of the old and frail Aliyev are numbered. Despite all
of his frantic efforts, Aliyev may not be able to have his son, Ilham,
succeed him in office. The junior Aliyev has neither the KGB-training
nor the cunning of his father. After the disappearance of the old fox
from the scene, there may be a lengthy and nasty power struggle.
Should the opponents of Aliyev take over, they may re-align Azerbaijan
with Iran and Russia rather than Turkey and the United States. Instead
of winning over the support of the masses, the U.S. government unwisely
keeps on backing unpopular leaders in many parts of the world. When the
tyrants are finally deposed, the people of those countries and their new
leaders remember that the American government sided with their
oppressors. They then shut off the oil pumps and use the very weapons
given to them by the United States to attack Americans!
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