updated
IN EUROPE
The Secretariat
K�rntner Ring 5-7, 1010 Vienna, Austria
For information - not an official document
No. 315/00
PRESS RELEASE
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office holds talks in Azerbaijan
Baku, Azerbaijan 18 July 2000 _ In her meetings today with the
Azerbaijani leadership, Chairperson-in-Office of the OSCE, Austrian
Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner, emphasised the OSCE's steady
commitment to facilitating a long-lasting peace settlement to the
unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
She expressed her satisfaction that serious efforts by both sides had
been made to revive the negotiating process. She called on the
Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia to "take the courageous steps
necessary to settle the conflict now, as the final responsibility and the
power of decision remains with the two Presidents." In particular, she
was encouraged by the renewal of bilateral talks between Presidents
Aliyev and Kocharyan. She emphasised the importance at the present
stage of adopting the small but significant confidence-building measures
proposed by the OSCE in the economic and military fields. Ms. Ferrero-
Waldner said that the release yesterday of prisoners of war held in
Nagorno-Karabakh and Yerevan were important gestures toward
reconciliation. Her Personal Representative on the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, witnessed the arrival of the six
POWs at Baku airport this morning.
The OSCE Chariperson-in-Office also presided over a ribbon cutting
cremony today opening the OSCE Office in Baku. She was pleased by
the assurances of the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister, who also took part in
the opening, of Azeri support for the activities of the OSCE Office and its
Head, Ambassador Alexander Cornelissen. The Office will focus on
democracy building and human rights, and explore other activities
including in the economic field.
In her meetings with the Azerbaijani leadership, Ms. Ferrero-Waldner
welcomed the adoption by Azerbaijan's parliament of a new law on the
Central Election Commission, which was in line with the OSCE's Office
for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)
recommendations. She expressed her hope, however, that the
shortcomings cited by the ODHIR in the parliamentary election law
would be rectified in due time before the November elections. During her
meetings, she also raised such human rights concerns as the question of
political prisoners and media freedoms. She demonstrated the OSCE's
particular concern for the situation of victims of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict during a visit to refugees and displaced persons.
For further information contact the Press and Public Information
Section of the OSCE Secretariat, �
tel.: (+ 43-1) 514 36 180 or e-mail: [email protected]
OSCE CHAIRWOMAN HOLDS TALKS IN BAKU
"The OSCE hasn't made any new suggestions on the Nagorno-Karabakh
problem," said Azeri Foreign Minister Vilayat Guliyev after a
meeting with the acting OSCE chairwoman Benita Ferrero-Waldner.
Mr Guliyev said there were several certain elements which were
due to be examined thoroughly. He also added that during the
meeting, the high-ranked European guest was informed of the
principal position of Azerbaijan which comes to solution of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict within the framework of territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan. In her turn, Ms Ferrero-Waldner said
the sides were ready to solve the problem through negotiations
but added that the content of the negotiations must be kept in
secret. According to her, there are no changes in the position
of Armenian President Robert Kocharian concerning resolution of
the Nagorno-Karabakh problem but there were "new elements" and
the fact that the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia were both
working on these elements should be praised. "We mustn't give up
a thought that the conflicting sides should meet each other
half-way in order to find the ways for adjustment of the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem," said the OSCE chairwoman. Ms
Ferrero-Waldner also met with the Speaker of the Milli Majlis
(Azeri Parliament), Murtuz Alasgarov. "Our mutual desire is to
reach progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process through
negotiations," said the chairwoman. According to her, some
things had happened just on the eve of her recent visit to the
region and they could help reach the problem's peaceful
settlement. Talking on the accession of Azerbaijan into the
Council of Europe, Ms Ferrero-Waldner said the European community
welcomed that decision but Azerbaijan should comply with all its
commitments. The highly-ranked guest also praised the new law
"On Central Election Committee" but added there still were some
flaws. "We hope you will eliminate them," said Ms
Ferrero-Waldner. She also reminded the problem of political
prisoners and those preventing some parties from taking part in
the elections. She has also expressed her hope that a new
amnesty campaign would be announced in Azerbaijan.
By Staff Writers
ANS News, July 18, 2000
OSCE CHAIRWOMAN DISCUSSES KARABAKH SETTLEMENT INAZERBAIJAN...
Meeting in Baku on 18 July with Azerbaijan
President Heidar Aliev, Foreign Minister Vilayet Guliev, and
parliamentary speaker Murtuz Alesqerov, Benita Ferrero-
Waldner called on the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan
"to take the courageous steps necessary" to resolve the
conflict now on the basis of mutual compromise. She also
stressed the importance of taking "small but significant
confidence-building measures" proposed by the OSCE in the
economic and military spheres. Aliev, however, said he thinks
the OSCE should be more active and responsive in promoting a
settlement of the conflict, Reuters reported. Guliev, for his
part, said that Ferrero-Waldner had brought no new proposals
on how the conflict could be resolved, although "there are
some elements that need to be carefully looked at." LF
...AS ARMENIA, KARABAKH RELEASE FURTHER POWS. Responding to
an appeal by Ferrero-Waldner, Nagorno-Karabakh President
Arkadii Ghukasian released four Azerbaijani prisoners of war
who had been detained in Stepanakert for up to two years,
Russian agencies reported. Two more Azerbaijani POWs who had
been held in Yerevan were also freed. The six men were flown
to Baku on 18 July. LF
Copyright RFE/RL
Karabakh Settlement - Key To Regional Problems
Settlement of conflicts in South Caucasus, in Karabakh in
particular, cooperation with regional countries with a
subsequent transition to integration, and security guarantees
in the region are the three key issues of the "Stability Pact
in the Caucasus" project.
The project was introduced to President Aliyev by the
co-chair of the European Center for Political Research Mr.
Michael Emerson, a member of the Center`s delegation visiting
Baku.
The Brussels-based Center for Political Research is
functioning under the EU umbrella, but is not directly
accountable to it. It is engaged in developing
recommendations for politicians and diplomats on solution of
various regional and international problems.
During the meeting with H. Aliyev, the other co-chair of the
Center, ex-foreign minister of Romania Mr. Sergiu Chelak,
saying the OSCE was a weak organization, stated that this
project was being implemented on the initiative of the OSCE
"group of three": former, present and future chairmen
representing Norway, Austria and Romania.
"We do not view the Pact as an alternative to the conflict
settlement. It is necessary to think what the fate of the
region will be like during and after the settlement, and the
Pact is intended to serve this objective", he said.
President Aliyev indicated that for all the proposed programs
to be implemented, Armenia must pull out from the occupied
Azeri territories, more than one million Azeri refugees
return home and Upper Karabakh be provided with a high status
of an autonomy.
"If we fail to achieve this, there can be no stability in
South Caucasus whatsoever", he added.
On the same day, the delegation met with Azeri Foreign
Minister Vilayat Guliyev to exchange views on the situation
in South Caucasus.
AssA-Irada News, June 17-18, 2000
OSCE CHAIRWOMAN VISITS YEREVAN.
Benita Ferrero-Waldner met in
Yerevan on 16 and 17 July with Armenian President Robert
Kocharian and Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian to discuss the
Karabakh peace process. She also had a telephone conversation
on that subject with Arkadii Ghukasian, president of the
unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, who reaffirmed his
commitment to a peaceful solution of the conflict, according
to ITAR-TASS. Ferrero-Waldner said that talks between
President Kocharian and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Heidar
Aliev, have yielded agreement on a number of elements of a
settlement, but she added that it is too early to reveal what
those elements are. She said that the time is now propitious
for resolving the conflict but that doing so depends on the
two sides' political will and readiness to compromise.
Ferrero-Waldner also attended the formal opening on 17 July
of the OSCE office in Yerevan. She flew to Baku later that
day for talks with Azerbaijani leaders. LF
RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 4, No. 136, Part I, 18 July 2000
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office travels to Armenia
Cites link between conflict settlement and
economic development, welcomes release of
remaining POWs
Yerevan, Armenia, 17 July 2000 _ The Chairperson-in-Office of
the OSCE, Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner,
urged the leadership of Armenia to accelerate the economic
reform process to help stop the trend of migration and to create
prospects for a more prosperous future. She emphasised that
regional economic development could only be enhanced if there
was significant progress towards a political settlement over
Nagorno-Karabakh.
Ms. Ferrero-Waldner voiced her confidence in the OSCE Minsk
Group whose co-chairmen (from France, the Russian Federation
and the United States) are working to promote a political solution
to the conflict. "I call on all parties to the conflict to demonstrate
real political will to negotiate and compromise in the interest of
achieving a mutually acceptable and advantageous resolution, "
she said. "The economic and social future of the entire region is at
stake".
The Chairperson-in-Office welcomed the efforts of her Personal
Representative, Ambassador Andrei Kasprzyk, in developing
concrete confidence-building measures between the sides. She
was pleased that as a result of her appeal to the Karabakhi leader
Arkady Goukasian, the four remaining prisoners of war would be
released today and transferred to Baku tomorrow. She was also
encouraged that two prisoners of war held in Yerevan were also
released today following her request to the Armenian President.
At a ribbon cutting ceremony marking the official opening of the
OSCE Office in Yerevan, the Chairperson-in-Office reiterated
the OSCE's commitment to supporting Armenia hands-on in
legislative reform in the economic, human rights and constitutional
sphere. In particular, Ms. Ferrero-Waldner highlighted the
OSCE's mandate to co-ordinate and facilitate the work of other
financial and international organizations which could provide
assistance. She thanked the Government of Armenia for its
excellent co-operation with the OSCE Office and its Head,
Ambassador Roy Reeve. Since it began work in February,
numerous joint projects have been undertaken.
The Chairperson-in-Office will proceed to Azerbaijan this evening
for meetings tomorrow with the Azeri leadership.
For further information contact the Press and Public Information
Section of the OSCE Secretariat, tel.: (+ 43-1) 514 36 180 or e-mail:
[email protected] or the OSCE Office in Yerevan: (+374-1) 541065, e-mail:
[email protected]
HRCA Statement in Geneva on 13-14 July 2000
Date:
Tue, 18 Jul 2000 11:35:08 -0700 (PDT)
The 5th meeting of CISCONF Steering Group in Geneva, 13-14 July
2000
STATEMENT
The Human Rights Center of Azerbaijan would like to attract your
attention to the situation of forced migration in Azerbaijan
Republic.
Of course, the key problems are foreign occupation of
Azerbaijani territories and existance of hundreds thousands of
refugees and internally displaced persons.
The UN keep a distance from the problem of peace resolution of
conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. The monopoly of the OSCE Minsk
Group to mediate the peace negotiations did not promote their
real progress. As a result, the deported persons are still
waiting for repatriation, and without a job opportunities become
the most marginalized group of population. For the sake of ideas
declared in 1948, UN must intervene in this conflict to stop the
occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenian army and to
secure the future of both Azeri and Armenian communities of the
region.
The USA still remains in the position to prohibit the direct
humanitarian and technical aid to only party of this conflict,
Azerbaijan. That deprives the flows of American humanitarian aid
the proper control of American and Azerbaijani government and
provocate the establishment of formally non-governmental bodies
embezzling the public funds. So, in the interests of refugees and
American nation to to abolish the discrimination section 907 of
the U.S. Freedom Support Act.
There is still a problem of practical sabotage of repatriation
of Meskhetian Turks by the Georgian government. The old
obligations are not implementing. The new obligations taken by
Georgia before Council of Europe in 1999 are a simple trick, a
time-out for avoiding the real progress of repatriation.
The economical situation in Azerbaijan is stable stagnating
because of war and painful transition to the market economy.
According to the unofficial sources, 1 Mln. to 1.5 Mln.
Azerbaijani citizens left the country and deal with the small
business in other CIS countries. Living as the labour migrants in
Russia, they have no real protection of both Russian and
Azerbaijan governments and often are in the situation of out of
law being rubbered and even killed in the situation of impunity.
There are often the openly racist statements about the �persons
of Caucasian nationality� in Russian media, and the government of
Moscow city is still in the position to violate the Russian
Constitution by illegal acts about passport registration of this
category of non-residents.
The political situation in Azerbaijan becomes more stable, and
the human rights records are slowly improved. However, a lack of
willing of national reconciliation is a stimulation for detaining
about 800 political prisoners and continuing falsification of
elections. The situation is aggravated by problems of high level
of corruption, dependance of judiciary from the executive power,
and big split between the legislation and practice of its
implementation.
Many people who became the losers of the civic confrontation of
1993-1995 are now in the forced emigration. There is continuing a
practice of extradition of them by the CIS countries. These
simplified legal procedures basing at the mutual agreements
violate the provisions of Convention 1951 about the status of
refugees because do not include the effective assessment of real
situation, personal guilty and risk for the health of extradited
persons. Last Autumn, the similar document has been agreed with
Iran, what created the well-justified fears of the Iranian
political emigrants enjoining asylum in Azerbaijan. Since 1998,
even the Interpol is used to find out and to arrest the emigrants
from Azerbaijan.
From other hand, the combination of political tension and
economic stagnation provocate many thousands of Azerbaijani
citizens to seek asylum in some Western countries with the false
claim of being political emigrants.
Therefore, the HRCA asks the governments of Western countries to
use their influence to resolve of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
and to improve the political and human rights situation in the
country. It would be the best way to prevent the migration flows
from Azerbaijan to the countries.
SIX AZERI POWs RELEASED FROM ARMENIAN CAPTIVITY
Six Azeri prisoners-of-war (POW) released from Armenian captivity
were brought to Baku by air today at 11:30 a.m. In Baku's Bina
Airport, they were passed to Azerbaijan?s relevant bodies with
participation of OSCE officials. According to the OSCE
chairwoman's personal representative Andrzej Kasprszik, the
release of the POWs became possible as a result of an appeal made
by OSCE's acting chairwoman Benita Ferrero-Waldner to the leader
of Karabakh Armenians, Arkady Gukasian. Mr Kasprszik said
Gukasian had "willingly" made this gesture and released all
Azeri POWs held in captivity in Karabakh. The OSCE official said
that Armenian president Robert Kocharian, too, "willingly"
agreed to release two more Azeris held in the special isolation
ward of Armenia's Ministry for National Security. "Mr Kocharian
said he was ready to release all seven Azeri POWs who remain in
Armenian captivity but said he was releasing two of them, since
only they were ready in accordance with the Red Cross?
procedures," Mr Kasprszik said. The personal representative of
the OSCE's acting chairwoman also said the rest five POWs would
be released in the nearest time. The following POWs were
delivered to Baku today: Rufat M. Gambarov (1977, from
Agjabedi); Dmitri Kolesov (1980, Baku); Elnur F. Mukhtarov
(1981, Terter); Fikret M. Aliyev (1978, Ordubad); Nail N.
Rajabov (1978, Shamkir); Agamir A. Muradaliyev (1975, Gusar).
By Samir Mehdiyev
AZERI REFUGEES FIND THEMSELVES IN TROUBLE
32,200 refugees and internally displaced persons found refuge in
Azerbaijan?s second-largest city of Ganja. The refugees which
settled in the hostel of the Azerbaijan Agricultural Academy say
90 families had settled there and they make both ends meet mostly
owing to international relief organisations. The condition of
the refugees became even more unbearable recently since most of
them are unemployed. Another reason is reduction of
international humanitarian assistance. The head of the Ganja
department of the State Committee for Refugees (SCR), Vagif
Yusifov, too, said the assistance coming from international
relief organisations has decreased dramatically. Mr Yusifov said
an appeal has already been made to ADRA relief organisation but
the latter said the situation was explained by reduction of the
volume of financial means coming from donors. According to Mr
Huseynov, 2,300 ceased to receive assistance since 1999, while
others receive it in much smaller size. SCR?s Ganja
representative reckons that one should stop all humanitarian
assistance from international relief organisations. It should be
noted that only 3,000 of 5,580 able-bodied refugees, who settled
in Ganja, are working in small trade objects, as well as medical
and education establishments.
By Shahla Abdinova.
ANS News, July 18, 2000
Asbarez: Lobbyist for Azerbaijan hired by speaker Hastert
Date:
Thu, 20 Jul 2000 19:38:20 -0700 (PDT)
#########################################################################
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) As of 1992, Khankandi has been restored as an official historical name
of the town, that was renamed to Stepanakert by J. Stalin in 1923
#########################################################################
* Nancy Dorn to serve as House Republican Leadership's top
foreign policy adviser
FALLS CHURCH, Va.--Armenian-American concerns over the House
Republican leaderships stonewalling of the Armenian Genocide
resolution (H.Res.398) escalated dramatically this week with
the revelation in the Washington Post that House Speaker
Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) has named as his senior foreign
policy adviser a Washington lobbyist who until this week
represented the Government of Azerbaijan.
A coalition of leading Armenian American organizations
seeking passage of the Armenian Genocide resolution
(H.Res.398) has been blocked by the refusal of Hastert and
the House Republican leadership to schedule the measure for
a vote.
The July 15 edition of the Washington Post reported that the
lobbyist, former Reagan and Bush administration official
Nancy P. Dorn, has also represented the Government of
Pakistan and a controversial Hong Kong company closely tied
to Beijing. Washington Post staff writers John Mintz and
Juliet Eilperin revealed in their story, "Questions Raised
On Hastert Adviser," that "until this week [she] was a
lobbyist for foreign and oil interests, and is in the
kitchen cabinet of Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Texas)."
"The hiring of a high-priced Azerbaijani Government lobbyist
as its senior foreign policy adviser is only the House
Republican leadership's most recent affront to the Armenian
American community," said Raffi Asatoorian, AADLC's
Community Outreach Coordinator. "From the
Livingston-inspired hysteria against Section 907 to the
their stonewalling of the Armenian Genocide resolution, the
House Republican leadership has shown itself--time and time
again--to be consistently indifferent and often directly
opposed the values and priorities of Armenian Americans."
According to the article, Dorn was "at her desk in the
speaker's office yesterday even as congressional staff
members critical of the Pakistani regime and of US policy in
China privately raised questions about her selection." The
Post also noted that "Congressional staffers said yesterday
that Dorn's background is not widely known on Capitol Hill
but predicted concern would mount among lawmakers as they
learn more details." For information on Dorn, visit:
www.hqda.army.mil/asacw/dornbio.htm
Dorn's work for the Government of Azerbaijan is documented
by the US Department of Justice. Along with former
Congressman Charlie Wilson, also an ardent advocate of
Azerbaijan, Dorn is listed as having worked on the
Azerbaijan account for the firm of Hooper, Owen, Gould &
Winburn, which is a registered foreign agent for the Embassy
of Azerbaijan. According to the firm's filings with the
Justice Department, they "researched and analyzed issues
related to Azerbaijan. The registrant also worked with the
staff of the House Appropriations Committee to soften
anti-Azeri language in the Foreign Operations'
Appropriations bill."
The Washington Post article quoted Armenian Assembly of
America executive director Ross Vartian's response to Dorn's
appointment: "We'd be concerned about the lingering effect
of her doing work for governments like Azerbaijan. . .
How does she intend to distance herself from those regimes?"
In sharp contrast to the Republican Congressional
leadership's growing opposition to Armenian issues, the
Democratic leadership has continued to broaden its outreach
to Armenia and the Armenian American community. Last month,
at the request of Adam Schiff, the Democratic Congressional
candidate for California 27th District, Democratic Leader
Dick Gephardt (Mo.)and Democratic Whip David Bonior (Mich.)
were joined by the rest of the House Democratic Leadership
in meeting with Armenian President Robert Kocharian during
his visit to Washington. Also taking part in the hour-long
meeting were Congressmen Martin Frost (Texas), Bob Menendez
(NJ), Patrick Kennedy (RI), Frank Pallone (NJ), and Joe
Hoeffel (Pa.).
The House Republican leadership, according to sources on
Capitol Hill, refused repeated requests to schedule a
meeting with the visiting Armenian President. International
Relations Committee Chairman Ben Gilman did take part in a
group meeting with President Kocharian organized by the
Armenian Caucus, but did not explain why he has decided
against scheduling a Committee vote on the Armenian Genocide
resolution (H.Res.398).
Copyright 2000 Asbarez
Noyan Tapan and Asbarez Armenian News, July 20, 2000
Date:
Thu, 20 Jul 2000 19:41:03 -0700 (PDT)
#########################################################################
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) As of 1992, Khankandi has been restored as an official historical name
of the town, that was renamed to Stepanakert by J. Stalin in 1923
#########################################################################
US Special Negotiator Carey Cavanaugh to Speak
About Karabakh Negotiations
GLENDALE--Carey Cavanaugh, the US Representative to the
OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe)
sponsored Nagorno Karabakh peace negotiations, will be
traveling to Southern California in late July to meet with
community leaders and participate in a public forum, reported the
Armenian National Committee of American Western Region
(ANCA-WR).
On August 30, 1999, the US State Department announced the
appointment of Cavanaugh as the new special negotiator for the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The special negotiator serves as the
official US representative to the "Minsk Group" of the OSCE talks,
a special working group co-chaired by Russia, France and the
United States and specially designated to mediate the Karabakh
conflict.
The public forum will take place on the evening of Monday, July
31st. The location of the Los Angeles area event will be
announced in the very near future.
Copyright 2000 Noyan Tapan and Asbarez
News referred from Habarlar-L
Date: Sun, 16 Jul 2000 18:38:11 -0700 (PDT)
#########################################################################
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) As of 1992, Khankandi has been restored as an official historical name
of the town, that was renamed to Stepanakert by J. Stalin in 1923
#########################################################################
* Armenia to receive $92.5 million in US aid package.
WASHINGTON--The House of Representatives Thursday
approved the fiscal year 2001 Foreign Operations Appropriations
Act which maintains Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, a
measure restricting US assistance to Azerbaijan until that country
ends its blockade of Armenia.
The Foreign Operations Act provides funding for
confidence-building measures to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict and also "urges the Secretary of State to move forthwith to
appoint a high-level, long-term Special Negotiator to facilitate
direct negotiations and any other contacts that will bring peace to
the people of the South Caucasus."
Furthermore, the measure provides for $740 million in assistance
for Independent States of the Former Soviet Union--$99 million
less than that account received in FY 2000. Armenia's estimated
share is $92.5 million of the IS account total.
On the eve of the key vote in the House, Armenian Caucus
Co-Chairmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and John Edward Porter
(R-Ill.) joined with Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-Mich.) in calling for
increased US assistance to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh,
maintaining the restrictions on US aid to Azerbaijan, and finding
an equitable resolution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, reported
the Armenian National Committee of America.
In speaking about maintaining Section 907, Pallone said that "This
law should remain in place, and the Subcommittee was right in
resisting efforts to repeal or further modify this important provision
- echoing the bipartisan sentiment that has been clearly
expressed both here and in the Other Body (the Senate.)"
Rep. Knollenberg cited the importance of language in the bill
"directing the Administration, without further delay, to release the
remainder of the $20 million provided in 1998 for victims of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict." The legislation calls on the Secretary
of State to report on US and bi-lateral assistance levels to
Nagorno Karabakh since 1998 and to project additional sums
necessary to assist displaced persons within fifteen days of
enactment of the bill.
In his speech on the House floor, retiring Congressman John
Edward Porter spoke forcefully in support of Congressional efforts
to encourage credible confidence building measures and to
promote a lasting peace in Nagorno Karabakh. Rep. Porter called
attention to language in the foreign aid bill urging "Secretary of
State to move forthwith to appoint a high-level, long-term Special
Negotiator to facilitate direct negotiations and any other contacts
that will bring peace to the people of the South Caucasus. The
Secretary is further urged to remain engaged in the regional
peace process."
Copyright 2000 Asbarez
KARABAKH FOREIGN MINISTER ASSESSES
PEACE PROCESS.
In a telephone interview with RFE/RL's Armenian Service on 13
July, foreign minister of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic Naira Melkumian stressed the importance both of the
Minsk Group mediation and the ongoing dialogue between
Armenian President Robert Kocharian and his Azerbaijani
counterpart, Heidar Aliev. But Melkumian, who is currently in
Vienna, where the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group are
meeting, added that the peace process is "complex" and that
she doubts whether a settlement can be reached by the end of
this year. Melkumian noted that numerous Azerbaijan
politicians. with the exception of President Aliev, advocate
a new war to bring the unrecognized enclave back under
Azerbaijan's jurisdiction. She said that the Karabakh
Armenians do not want another war but added that if
Azerbaijan begins hostilities, the new war "will be fought on
Azerbaijani territory, considering the strength of the
Karabakh armed forces." LF
RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 4, No. 134, Part I, 14 July 2000
ARMENIAN, AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENTS TO
MEET IN CRIMEA.
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian told journalists in Yerevan
on 11 July that Armenian President Robert Kocharian and his
Azerbaijani counterpart, Heidar Aliev, will meet in Yalta on
15 August to resume their discussion of approaches to
resolving the Karabakh conflict, Interfax and RFE/RL's
Yerevan bureau reported. Meanwhile the OSCE Minsk Group will
meet in Vienna on 12-14 July to discuss the mediation process
ahead of OSCE Chairwoman in Office Benita Ferrero-Waldner's
visit to Armenia and Azerbaijan on 18 July. Naira Melkumian,
the foreign minister of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic, has been invited to Vienna, but it is not clear
whether she will attend the Minsk Group talks. Oskanian said
that the Minsk Group co-chairmen did not propose any new
approaches to resolving the conflict when they visited the
region last week but that they hope next month's talks
between Kocharian and Aliev will yield new proposals that
give fresh impetus to the peace process. LF
RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 4, No. 132, Part I, 12 July 2000
NEXT ALIYEV-KOCHARIAN MEETINGS TO BE HELD IN CRIMEA AND NEW YORK
The nearest meetings of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia
will be held in Crimea in August and in New York in September.
The unofficial meeting of the two president Heydar Aliyev and
Robert Kocharian will be held in Crimea on August 18-19, while
the UN conference dedicated to the millennium problems will take
place in New York in the first week of September. This was
announced by Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian in a news
conference in Yerevan on July. According to him, the OSCE Minks
Group co-chairs are hoping that new initiatives will arise
during the upcoming Aliyev-Kocharian meetings, on the basis of
which the co-chairs will continue their work. According to Mr
Oskanian, the Minsk Group co-chairs have yet to give new
proposals on resolution of the conflict. The minister noted
that no one was interested in conservation or delaying the
problem. Touching upon today's meeting of the co-chairs in
Vienna, the Armenian foreign minister said Karabakh's so-called
"foreign minister" Naira Melkumian was invited to the meeting as
well. According to the head of the Armenian Foreign Ministry,
it's unknown yet in which format Ms Melkumian will participate
in the Vienna meeting.
By Staff Writers
ANS News, July 14, 2000
RFE/RL: Melkumian Meets With OSCE Officials in Vienna
Date:
Fri, 14 Jul 2000 13:42:05 -0700 (PDT)
#########################################################################
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) As of 1992, Khankandi has been restored as an official historical name
of the town, that was renamed to Stepanakert by J. Stalin in 1923
#########################################################################
YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--Speaking by phone from Vienna Thursday, the
foreign minister of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Naira
Melkumian, told RFE/RL's Armenian Service that the OSCE Minsk
Group wants to overcome the deadlock in the Nagorno-Karabakh
peace process, and that her visit to Vienna serves that purpose.
Naira Melkumian has been invited to Vienna, where the OSCE Minsk
Group is holding a three-day extended session. The aim of the
meeting, which has started yesterday, is to evaluate the results
of last week's visit by the OSCE co-chairmen to Azerbaijan and
Armenia.
Naira Melkumian said she disagrees with the view that the work
done by OSCE Minsk Group is no longer necessary because it has
no new ideas and its previous proposals have not been accepted
by all sides.
Melkumian said that Kocharian-Aliyev bilateral meetings and the
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen's peace efforts are both important
and should proceed in parallel. It is impermissible to stop the
Minsk Group negotiating process, the Karabakh Foreign Minister
said.
According to Melkumian, the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict is very complex issue and it couldn't be solved this
year. "I don't think that it can be solved in half a year", she
said.
Commenting on the possibility of the resumption of the
hostilities, Naira Melkumian said that almost every politician
in Azerbaijan, except for Haydar Aliyev is threatening to use
force against Karabakh.
"President Haydar Aliyev is perhaps the only politician in
Azerbaijan who understands that it is impossible to solve the
conflict by use of force. I don't want a war, but if war breaks
out then it will be fought on the Azeri Territory, considering
the strength of Nagorno-Karabakh armed forces," said Naira
Melkumian.
According Naira Melkumian, the solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict in many respects depends on the Azeri position, which
has changed recently. The Azeris are now making some
corrections taking into account the current realities, Naira
Melkumian said, adding that there is an element of
unpredictability in the Azeri position.
No one knows what will happen in Azerbaijan after Aliyev. The
biggest challenge of the Azeri political elite is to deal with
the issue of uncertainty, which will arise after Aliyev leaves
the political scene, said Melkumian.
Copyright 2000 RFE/RL
OSCE Minsk Group Co-hairs Arrive In Baku
Co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group from Russia Nikolay Gribkov,
of France Jean-Jaqcues Gayard and of the United States Carry
Cavano arrived in Baku Saturday.
The diplomats are scheduled to stay in Azerbaijan till July 3
to hold talks with the Government of Azerbaijan concerning a
negotiated settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict and
take part in cease-fire monitoring in Gazakh province of
Azerbaijan.
After Baku, the co-chairs will visit Khankandi and Yerevan.
Foreign Minister Vilayat Guliyev has stated recently that
Azerbaijan was expecting the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to
come up with constructive proposals at conflict settlement.
At the same time, according to some experts, in particular,
adviser to the head of Musavat party Elkhan Mehdiyev, it is
no use anticipating that the visit would drastically change
the situation. Mr. Mehdiyev went on to say that the MG
co-chairs would not offer anything new. The Minsk Group and
Armenia are happy with the latest "condominium state"
proposal and will try to put some pressure on Azerbaijan to
accept it, he said.
Others believe that the visit is a mere formality, since
co-chairs are supposed to visit the troubled territory at
least twice in half-year.
AssA-Irada News, July 1 - 13, 2000
RFE/RL: Armenian News Briefs 07/11/2000
Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 22:26:25 -0700
Armenian Foreign Minister Says Minsk Group Co-Chairs Brought No New Peace Proposals.
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian told journalists in Yerevan today that Naira Melkumian, the foreign minister of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic, has been invited to Vienna, where the OSCE Minsk Group will hold a three-day expanded session on July 12.
According to Oskanian, it is not clear yet whether Naira Melkumian will be allowed to participate in the session or whether she will just meet OSCE officials. The
minister said he doesn't know the details of Melkumian's visit, describing the invitation of Nagorno-Karabakh foreign minister to Vienna as a right step, which will
provide an opportunity to discuss issues directly with the Karabakh authorities.
Oskanian declined to comment on whether the invitation to Melkumian is an attempt to restart tripartite negotiations between the conflicting sides. He told reporters
that the aim of the OSCE Minsk Group meeting in Vienna is to evaluate the results of the visit last week by the co-chairmen to Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as to
prepare the visit by the OSCE Chairwoman-in-office to the region.
OSCE chairwoman-in-office, Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner, will visit the region immediately after the Minsk Group Vienna meeting. Oskanian
didn't exclude the possibility that she will bring new proposals with her. He said the co-chairmen didn't present any new ideas on resolving the conflict during their
latest visit.
The approach to the peace process remains the same. OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen will continue their mediation based on the results of the talks between
Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents. Oskanian also told reporters that the next meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents will take place in Crimea, in
mid-August. During the first week in September, the two presidents will have another chance to meet at the Millennium Summit in New York.
The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen hope that after those two meetings there will be new proposals, new ideas, based on which they (the co-chairmen) can
continue their work.
At present, the co-chairmen have no new ideas and they are not going to present new proposals any time soon, Oskanian said.
(Hrach Melkumian)
Asbarez: Pallone, Knollenberg, and Porter Speak Out for Armenian Provisions in Foreign Aid Bill
Date: Fri, 14 Jul 2000 13:44:45 -0700 (PDT)
#########################################################################
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) As of 1992, Khankandi has been restored as an official historical name
of the town, that was renamed to Stepanakert by J. Stalin in 1923
#########################################################################
WASHINGTON--On the eve of a key vote in the US House on the
fiscal year 2001 foreign aid bill Wednesday, Armenian Caucus
Co-Chairmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and John Edward Porter (R-Ill.)
joined with Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-Mich.) in calling for
increased US assistance to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh,
maintaining the restrictions on US aid to Azerbaijan, and
finding an equitable resolution to the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.
The fiscal year 2001 foreign aid bill, H.R. 4811, allocates
$13.3 billion in assistance to countries around the world,
$740,000,000 of which will reach the Independent States (IS).
The legislation stipulates that Armenia and Georgia will each
receive 12.5 percent of the IS allocation, representing a slight
increase in the percentage of assistance but an overall
reduction in aid to Armenia. Commenting on the reduction, Rep.
Pallone explained that "given the fact that budgets are tight
this year, and the total level of the assistance to the IS has
been decreased by $99 million, I appreciate the fact that the
appropriators have recognized the need to continue our
commitment to Armenia."
The bill maintains the ban on US aid to the government of
Azerbaijan, commonly known as Section 907 of the Freedom Support
Act, while allowing for humanitarian and democracy assistance.
"This law should remain in place," commented Rep. Pallone, "and
the Subcommittee was right in resisting efforts to repeal or
further modify this important provision - echoing the bipartisan
sentiment that has been clearly expressed both here and in the
Other Body (the Senate.)"
Rep. Knollenberg cited the importance of language in the bill
"directing the Administration, without further delay, to release
the remainder of the $20 million provided in 1998 for victims of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict." The legislation calls on the
Secretary of State to report on US and bi-lateral assistance
levels to Nagorno Karabakh since 1998 and to project additional
sums necessary to assist displaced persons within fifteen days
of enactment of the bill.
In his speech on the House floor, retiring Congressman John
Edward Porter spoke forcefully in support of Congressional
efforts to encourage credible confidence building measures and
to promote a lasting peace in Nagorno Karabakh. Rep. Porter
called attention to language in the foreign aid bill urging
"Secretary of State to move forthwith to appoint a high-level,
long-term Special Negotiator to facilitate direct negotiations
and any other contacts that will bring peace to the people of
the South Caucasus. The Secretary is further urged to remain
engaged in the regional peace process."
The House will continue debating foreign debt relief and other
aspects of the bill, with a final vote on H.R.4811 expected
later Thursday.
Copyright 2000 Asbarez
KARABAKH LIBERATION ORGANIZATION ACCUSES AZERBAIJANI JUSTICE MINISTRY
OF 'TREASON.' The Karabakh Liberation Organization
founded early this year issued a statement on 11 July saying
that the Justice Ministry's refusal to register the movement
is a betrayal of Azerbaijan's national interests, "525
gazeti" reported. The Ministry had ruled that the
organization's call for a new war to restore Azerbaijani
jurisdiction over Nagorno-Karabakh violates both Article 8 of
the Azerbaijani Constitution, which defines the defense of
the country's territorial integrity as the prerogative of the
president, and the law on political parties, which bars those
groups from propagating military activities. The
organization's leader, Akif Nagiev, estimated membership in
his organization in March at more than 10,000. LF
RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 4, No. 133, Part I, 13 July 2000
ARMENIANS SHELL AZERI POSITIONS AGAIN
The units of the Azeri Armed Forces stationed in the mid-western
region of Khanlar were shelled recently from Armenian positions
in the occupied Murovdag Mountain. The fire was being opened
from large-calibre machine-guns. The Azeri side opened a return
fire. No victims are reported. It should be noted that this
area has been monitored by OSCE representatives on July 8 as a
result of which they met with commanders of military units. No
facts of violation of the ceasefire regime were found during the
monitoring.
By Staff Writers
ANS News 14 July
Three Soldiers Desert From Karabakh Army.
The army and military police declared an alert and yesterady
began searching all vehicles entering Yerevan. According to a
Defense Ministry spokesman, three soldiers deserted from their
Army unit in Karabakh yesterday. The soldiers fled through the
Omar mountains and reached to Kelbajar. The army spokesman
(unnamed) said they were armed.
The deserters stopped a GAS-24 Russian sedan car, killed two
passengers in the car and hijacked the car, setting off towards
Armenia. Police tried to stop them at a police check points but
without success. When the police tried to chase them, the
deserters killed two of them in a shootout. The deserters tried
to bury the dead policemen, but were interrupted by a car
approaching from the opposite direction, and shot the two
passengers dead. One of the passengers was the commander of the
Aparan Army battalion, which is stationed in Aragatsotn region
of Armenia.
One of the deserters was injured in the shootout. His two
comrades abandoned him and fled to the forests. According to
the Military Prosecutor's office, the injured soldier is now in
hospital. The Army spokesman said that the two others are now
hiding in the forest and it is very difficult to disarm and
arrest them because they left their army unit heavily armed.
The incident didn't prevent the Military commanders of the
Armenian Army meeting with servicemen's parents. The purpose of
the meeting was to give parents a chance to express their
concerns. The meeting in the Armenian Officers' House in
Yerevan heard mothers' complaints about the health of their
sons. "We are sending healthy boys to the Army, but they come
home sick and weakened," one woman said. "My son is in hospital
now. Please, be attentive to the health of the soldiers,"
another woman said.
But there were also good words for the army. Some of the
mothers praised Army commanders for their work, requesting
instead leave for their sons.
The commanders gathered today in the Yerevan Officers House
generously granted short periods of leave to those soldiers
whose mothers gave high marks to their performance.
(Hrach Melkumian)
RFE/RL Armenia Report, July 14, 2000
Azeri envoy in Turkey says Ankara firm on no ties with Armenia
Text of report by Azerbaijani news agency MPA
Baku, 12th July: The Azerbaijani ambassador to Turkey, Mammad Aliyev,
believes that since diplomatic relations have not been established between
Ankara and Yerevan, no region of this country can independently develop
contacts with Armenia. The diplomat noted that Turkey has always aspired
to
neighbourly relations with Armenia, though Yerevan does not miss a chance
to carry out a strike against Ankara on the sly. Taking account of the
hostile nature of Armenia's attitude to Turkey, Turkey's foreign minister
banned cooperation with this neighbouring state.
According to the ambassador, the newly-elected head of the Kars
administration broke this ban due to being inexperienced [Armenian
delegation attending Caucasus forum in Kars deported from Turkey]. Later
on, he realized his mistake and repeatedly told the media that there could
be no ties with Armenia before the liberation of Karabakh. Aliyev reported
that currently there were no contacts at state level between the sides.
Speaking about Turkey's attitude to the process of the settlement of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, the ambassador said that Ankara believes
any
opportunity for a peaceful solution to the problem needs to be used.
Source: MPA news agency, Baku, in Russian 1400 gmt 12 Jul 00
BBC Mon TCU 130700 ad/ea
Copyright 2000 BBC
News referred from Habarlar-L News Distribution List and RFE/RL
