updated
An eye-to-eye meeting of Azeri and Armenian presidents Heydar Aliyev
and Robert Kocharian was held in the Crimean city resort of Yalta late
yesterday within the framework of the unofficial summit of CIS heads
of state. The meeting was held behind closed doors and nothing is
reported on its results. But we would remind you that before taking
off to Yalta, Mr Aliyev said he would discuss the ways of resolution
of the Karabakh conflict. The Azeri president also met his Ukrainian
counterpart Leonid Kuchma, whereas he couldn?t hold a meeting with
Russia's Vladimir Putin, since the latter left Yalta urgently due to
the current situation around Russia?s Kursk submarine which suffered
an accident in Barents Sea.
By Staff Writers
ANS News, August 22, 2000
Armenian News Digest, August 25, 2000
Date: Sat, 26 Aug 2000 01:33:45 -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
#########################################################################
Armenia, Karabakh Expected to Hold
Interparliamentary Meetings
YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)-Armenian Parliament Speaker Armen
Khachatrian met with his Karabakh counterpart Oleg Yesayan
Thursday and re-affirmed the readiness of the Armenian
parliament to provide assistance in the matter of improving
Karabakh legislation. During the meeting, the sides discussed
such issues as exchange of experience, information and
specialists between the two parliaments, and ways to develop
legislative and political cooperation along with economic
integration.
Speaking of the recent parliamentary elections in Karabakh,
Yesayan pointed out that both local and foreign observers
believe these elections to have been held in a normal manner.
Copyright 2000 Noyan Tapan and Armenpress
PARIS: FRENCH COURT ORDERS THE ARMENIANS TO PAY PROFESSOR BERNARD LEWIS
ATTORNEYS FEES AND COURT COSTS
04/11/95, SCT - One of the foremost experts on Turkish history, Professor
Bernard Lewis has been subjected to four Armenian cases against him in Paris.
The first one was a criminal case. Armenians accused him of violating the law
prohibiting denial of the Holocaust, but the judge rightly decided that whatever
happened to the Armenians, it was not the Holocaust. Armenian reports of the
first case falsely claimed that the judge also declared that "the Armenians
were, indeed, subjected to genocide, though it was not the Holocaust". In fact
the judge made no much statement. It was made by the Prosecutor and was not
included in the decision, which threw out the case.
Professor Lewis has also won the second case, a civil one, brought by an
Armenian who declared that by his article in Le Monde, Lewis had insulted him
and denied him his history. Lewis not only won, but the court ordered the
Armenians to pay his attorneys fees and court costs.
Two other civil cases brought by Armenians remain, one by an Armenian member of
the French parliament.
These decisions will hopefully prevent future Armenian attempts to silence
Historians who voice their criticism about the supposed "genocide" of Armenians.
Background:
The Armenian "genocide" claims are based on a set of "telegrams" produced by a
certain Armenian named 'Aram Andonian' which are supposed to be sent by Talaat
Pasha of the then Ottoman government (the originals of which have been
conveniently 'declared' missing by Armenians to escape an independent third
party examination for authenticity, like it was done for the supposed 'Hitler
diaries' and were easily proven to be forgeries).
Strangely enough, at a time when British government was looking at all allied
archives to provide evidence against Ottoman officials who were being tried in
Malta after WW1, nobody cared to use these so-called 'telegrams', because they
would be immediately proven as what they are, crude forgeries by Armenian
propagandists who made many chronological, grammar, and other mistakes which
made these 'telegrams' more harmful for Armenian claims than any counter
evidence the Turks could have provided. Some 'Telegrams' were written by
'officials' at a position that they were not assigned yet, some 'telegrams'
missed any numbers, were or dates, and some contained impossible ' dates ' due
to the lack of grasp of Ottoman calendar system by Armenian forgers.
There are also widely distributed Armenian propaganda pieces, such as the
infamous 'Hitler Quote', which has long been known to be a distortion of a
speech by a journalist for propaganda purposes. The original 'Hitler speech' has
been produced by both Germans and Americans during Nurnberg trials, after WW2,
and none of the two versions mention 'Armenians'.
Referred from Habarlar-L
since start of Armenian conflict
Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2000 22:13:49 -0700 (PDT)
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts
August 16, 2000, Wednesday
Text of report by Azerbaijani TV station ANS on 14th August
According to a report received by ANS from Araz Gurbanov, head of the
National Security Ministry press service, 5,096 of our citizen have gone
missing since the beginning of the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict. According
to witnesses' testimonies and operational information, 783 Azerbaijanis
are still held captive or hostage in Armenia.
Source: ANS TV, Baku, in Azeri 1600 gmt 14 Aug 00
OSCE Minsk Group cochairman says Karabakh
people should join peace talks
Turan in Russian 1210 GMT 11 Aug 00
Text of report by Azerbaijani news agency Turan
Baku, 11th August: The US cochairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, Carey
Cavanaugh, said that in settling the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict it is
necessary to take into consideration the opinion of the people living in
Nagornyy Karabakh as well. Otherwise, there is a possibility that the
conflict might flare up again in future, Cavanaugh said in an interview
with an AzerTaj news agency correspondent in Washington.
At the same time he noted that the Armenian diaspora in the US did not
have "a great influence" on the settlement process, although the diaspora
was a vital factor for the Armenian government.
Touching upon the USA's mediation role, Cavanaugh said that the
Azerbaijani and Armenian sides were accusing Washington of bias. "I
believe that the US is quite impartial," he said.
Speaking about his recent meetings with representatives of the
Armenian diaspora in the US, Cavanaugh said that many Armenians backed
the peace process. "People in Armenia are becoming increasingly aware of
the need for peace, as they are coping with the consequences of the
conflict every day," the diplomat believes.
Talking about the settlement process itself, Cavanaugh said that the
Minsk Group supported the parties' dialogue. Fresh meetings between the
presidents of the two countries will take place soon, and fresh
suggestions for the settlement will come forth as a direct result of
these meetings, Cavanaugh noted.
Foreign minister slams Russian paper for publishing
"Armenian propaganda"
Turan in Russian 1005 GMT 16 Aug 00
Text of report by Azerbaijani news agency Turan
Baku, 16th August: Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Vilayat Guliyev has
accused the Moscow-published 'Nezavisimaya Gazeta' of publishing
materials aimed at scuttling Azerbaijani-Russian relations. Thus, on 1st
August the newspaper published an article entitled "Will the 'second
advent' of Chechens to Karabakh take place?" by Ivan Ayvazovskiy.
The gist of the article is that Chechen militants are allegedly using
the territory of Azerbaijan's Goranboy District (former Shaumyan
District) as a location for their base. Without presenting any facts, the
author of the article is drawing "intelligent" conclusions that Chechen
militants will fight Armenians in Karabakh in the future.
In an interview with Turan, Vilayat Guliyev said he was inviting all
those who wished to visit Goranboy District to do so and convince
themselves of the falsity of such allegations.
Talking about the reasons for such articles appearing in 'Nezavisimaya
Gazeta', the minister pointed out that "such articles were disinformation
ordered and spread by the Armenians with the help of the Russia media".
"We are aware that the name 'Ivan Ayvazovskiy' is the pseudonym of an
Armenian journalist. Using this name, 'Nezavisimaya Gazeta' is regularly
publishing anti-Azerbaijani articles. It is regrettable that such a
famous newspaper has turned into a testing area for Armenian propaganda,"
Guliyev pointed out.
ARMENIAN, AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENTS MEET.
Robert Kocharian and Heidar Aliev met in Yalta on 18 August on
the sidelines of the informal CIS summit to continue their talks on
approaches to resolving the Karabakh conflict, Turan and Noyan
Tapan reported. The two presidents told journalists after their
meeting that they will continue talks, but they admitted that
it will not be easy to reach an agreement, which, they said,
will require concessions from both sides. Turan quoted
Kocharian as arguing that establishing economic cooperation
would facilitate a political settlement of the conflict but
as expressing understanding for Azerbaijan's insistence that
a political solution must precede such cooperation. LF
RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 4, No. 160, Part I, 21 August 2000
Copyright RFE/RL
Armenpress: Kocharian-Aliyev Reiterate Commitment to Peace
Date: Tue, 22 Aug 2000 01:47:29 -0700 (PDT)
YEREVAN (Armenpress)--Armenian President Robert Kocharian took part in
the first non-official CIS summit of the heads of state in Yalta on
August 18, and met with Ukraine's President Leonid Kuchma.
According to Kocharian's press office, the meeting was primarily
focused on economic issues. Both bilateral Armenian-Ukraine relations
as well as those within the CIS framework were discussed. In this
respect, Armenian prime minister's visit to Ukraine that is scheduled
in autumn was emphasized which, according to both presidents, "will
help to specify separate directions of cooperation."
During the second half of the day, president Kocharian met with his
Azeri counterpart Heydar Aliyev.
Speaking to reporters after the closed door meeting, Kocharian and
Aliyev said they had agreed to continue the dialogue to try to hammer
a final peace settlement to the long-lasting Karabakh conflict.
They said their next one-on-one meeting would take place in New York
at the United Nations General Assembly Millennium session. They
repeatedly reiterated that they should settle the conflict peacefully
through mutual compromises.
Responding to an Azeri reporter's question as to why he was putting
stress on economic co-operation, president Kocharian said, "it would
help to develop a peace formula much more easily." Kocharian added
that "the common economic interests tying the two countries will help
avoid extra suspicions and will create a favorable climate for the
regulation of the conflict."
Copyright 2000 Armenpress
ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, KARABAKH PRESIDENT DISCUSS PEACE PROCESS.
Vartan Oskanian met in Stepanakert on 14 August with
Arkadii Ghukasian, president of the unrecognized Nagorno-
Karabakh Republic, to assess the Karabakh peace process and
how the ongoing efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group to mediate a
solution of the conflict could be boosted, Noyan Tapan
reported. The U.S. co-chairman of the Minsk Group, Carey
Cavanaugh, was quoted as telling Azerbaijan's Azertadj news
agency last week in Washington that the opinion of the
population of Karabakh must be taken into consideration
during ongoing negotiations. Ghukasian had told Karabakh
television on 3 August that the Karabakh leadership should
participate in talks on a solution to the conflict, Groong
reported, citing Snark. The presidents of Armenia and
Azerbaijan, Robert Kocharian and Heidar Aliev, are due to
meet on the sidelines of the 18-19 August CIS informal summit
in Crimea to resume their talks on approaches to resolving
the conflict. LF
ARMENIA RELEASES ANOTHER AZERBAIJANI POW.
The Armenian authorities have released a 25-year-old Azerbaijani
serviceman taken prisoner in 1998 after inadvertently
straying onto Armenian territory, RFE/RL's Yerevan bureau
reported. The man was flown to Baku on 14 August, where an
Azerbaijani National Security Ministry press spokesman
accused Yerevan of reneging on a promise to free two POWs,
according to Turan. An Armenian National Security official
had told RFE/RL that Armenia still holds another Azerbaijani
prisoner. He queried Azerbaijani denials that any Armenian
prisoners remain in Azerbaijani jails. LF
RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 4, No. 156, Part I, 15 August 2000
ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN ENGAGE IN POLEMIC OVER POWS.
The Armenian National Security Ministry issued a statement on 16 August
rejecting as "lies and falsification" a statement made in
Baku two days earlier by Ramiz Gurbanov, a spokesman for its
Azerbaijani counterpart, Noyan Tapan reported. Gurbanov had
claimed that Armenia still holds a total of 783 Azerbaijani
hostages and prisoners of war. He also accused Armenia of
reneging on a promise to release two prisoners of war on 14
August. The Armenian National Security Ministry asserted that
there are still an unspecified number of Azerbaijani
prisoners in Armenia, but it added that some of them do not
wish to return to Azerbaijan. The ministry also said that
unlike Azerbaijan, Armenia allows the International Committee
of the Red Cross free access to all prisoners of war. LF
RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 4, No. 158, Part I, 17 August 2000
Copyright RFE/RL
Armenia rejects Azeri figures for POWs
Yerevan Snark in Russian 1530 GMT 14 Aug 00
Text of report by Armenian news agency Snark
Yerevan, 14th August: "The latest anti-Armenian propaganda" is how
Armenak Manukyan, head of the Armenian National Security Ministry's press
service, described to a Snark correspondent a statement by the
Azerbaijani National Security Ministry. The Azerbaijani statement said
that prisoners of war in Armenia are coerced into refusing to return to
Baku.
The Armenian National Security Ministry said that Azerbaijani POWs
were afraid that they would end up in prison again if they returned home.
This is what they have said not only to the Armenian authorities but also
to representatives of the International Committee for the Red Cross
(ICRC). There are grounds for the Azerbaijani POWs' fears as several POWs
have been convicted on their return home.
According to the Azerbaijani side, out of 1,088 POWs returned by the
Armenian side "only 14 have been held responsible for crimes, which
included cooperation with the Armenian special services".
The Armenian National Security Ministry press service also said that
at present there are one POW and one [Azerbaijani] citizen in Armenia.
Work is under way to dispel their fears about returning to Baku.
"Not in tune with reality" is how the head of the Armenian National
Security Ministry's press service described the Azerbaijani side's
statements that 783 POWs and hostages are being held in Armenia.
Representatives of the ICRC can visit all places of detention in Armenia,
which is not the case in Azerbaijan, and have several times been
convinced that we have no Azerbaijani POWs, Manukyan said.
ARMENIA RELEASES ONE AZERI POW, INSTEAD OF TWO PROMISED
Armenia released one Azeri prisoner-of-war (POW) today instead of
two it promised earlier. This was announced by the head of press
service of the Ministry for National Security (MNS) of
Azerbaijan, Araz Gurbanov. Mr Gurbanov called "fiction" the
allegations of official Yerevan that the two Azeri POWs refused
to return to their motherland. It was confirmed by the released
POW himself. Ramiz Mamedov said he had undergone physical and
psychiatric pressure while in Armenian captivity. Mamedov, 25,
was taken prisoner in the Sadarak region of the Nakhchivan
Autonomous Republic on December 19, 1999. Mamedov says he'd been
subject to daily violence during the 8 months he spent in the
isolation ward of Armenia?s Ministry for National Security (MNS).
But we would remind you that an information had been spread by
mass media outlets that Mamedov didn?t want to return home.
According to Mamedov, there are a lot of Azeri POWs held in
Armenian MNS. In his interview, the former POW said Armenians
were mostly interested in the weapons and other military
equipment possessed by the Azeri Army. Mamedov also said
Armenians were afraid of the Azeri Army that was shown during
interrogations. Although Mamedov was released through mediation
of the International Committee of the Red Cross, he expressed his
dissatisfaction with the commission?s activities. He said he had
been receiving letters from home only once in every 3-4 months.
Meanwhile, Mamedov?s parents first of all thanked the
international organisation for its assistance in releasing their
son. A committee representative refused to comment on the
release. Asked what was the time when the next party of Azeri
POWs will be released, the committee representative preferred to
keep silence on this account. Touching upon the fate of the
second POW - Zulfi Sultanov - the head of MNS? press service
said the work on his release from Armenian captivity was going
on. Speaking of the total number of Azeri POWs currently held in
Armenia, Mr Gurbanov confirmed his previous statements saying it
made 783 POWs and hostages. Meanwhile, the Armenian side says
there are no more Azeri POWs on the territory of Armenia. As for
the statements that released POWs are being prosecuted in
Azerbaijan, Mr Gurbanov noted that out of 1,088 released POWs,
only 14 were made answerable for crimes, which include among
others cooperation with Armenian secret services.
By Etibar Mamedov
AZERI OFFICER AND SOLDIER KILLED
BY ARMENIAN PATROL
The National Army of Azerbaijan lost two more soldiers. The body
of Vagif Darvishov, 22, who died on August 13, was delivered to
Baku today. Darvishov had been serving in the military unit #705
stationed in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The young
officer was called to the colours in January 2000 as a commander
of an artillery division On that fateful day, lieutenant
Darvishov and private Gashish Asgarov run upon Armenian trenches.
According to the dead officer?s father Mahir Darvishov, having
taken over the watch, the two saw Armenian patrol which opened a
hitting fire. The lieutenant and the private died on the spot
from serious wounds. Mahir Darvishov also said there were no
documents found on his son. Uzeyir Jafarov, a spokesman of the
Defence Ministry of Azerbaijan, said the documents of the two
deceased would be passed to their parents soon. Mr Jafarov said
the officer and the soldier died while executing their soldier?s
duty.
By Azay Kerimov
ANS News, August 15, 2000
Azeri group for Karabakh wants Putin to recognize Armenia as terrorist state
Source: Bilik Dunyasi, Baku, in Russian 1510 gmt 10 Aug 00
Text of report by Azerbaijani news agency Bilik Dunyasi on 10th August
[No dateline as received] The leaders of the Azerbaijani organization for
the liberation of Karabakh, among whom are the prominent public figure
Akif Nagy, Gen Tajaddin Mehdiyev, Azerbaijan's national hero Shahin
Tagiyev and the popular singer Flora Karimova, have written a letter to
President Vladimir Putin. Enumerating numerous cases of terrorist acts
carried out by Armenian extremists on Azerbaijani territory, (bus, train
and metro explosions and assassinations of journalists and public
figures), they accuse Armenia of aiding and abetting international
terrorism. In this connection, the group is calling on the Russian
president to recognize Yerevan's involvement in international terrorism.
They intend to hand the message to Russia's acting ambassador to
Azerbaijan, Aleksandr Prishchepov, on 11th August.
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts
August 12, 2000, Saturday
Armenia backs US embargo on Azeri aid despite effect on military
cooperation
Source: Snark news agency, Yerevan, in Russian 1400 gmt 10 Aug 00
Text of report by Armenian news agency Snark
Yerevan, 10th August: Despite the fact that Section 907 [ban on US
government aid to Azerbaijan] prevents the development of US military
cooperation both with Azerbaijan and Armenia, the Armenian side thinks it
is necessary to keep it. Official Yerevan's position on this was clearly
pronounced in Washington by Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan, a
high-ranking representative of the Armenian Foreign Ministry stressed in
an interview with Snark news agency, adding that the question of whether
it was possible to establish interaction circumventing Section 907 to the
Freedom Support Act of the US Congress was the second point in the agenda
of Serzh Sarkisyan's visit to Washington in late July.
This section was adopted by the US Congress in 1992 against Azerbaijan
over its blockade of Armenia and its purpose is to prevent Azerbaijan
receiving any aid that would increase its military potential. However, the
Armenian diplomat pointed out, the USA has an executive instruction for
the State Department and other ministries which applies exactly the same
restrictions to Armenia as well in order to ensure a balanced US policy in
the Caucasus.
The question of whether it is possible to circumvent Section 907 and to
get certain US aid appeared last year during another dialogue on security
issues between the Armenian Foreign Ministry and US State Department. In
particular, an agreement was reached on US aid to Armenia for the
so-called humanitarian removal of land mines. Armenia is not against
similar aid being supplied to Azerbaijan and Georgia as well. On Armenian
territory, there are mine fields planted both by Azerbaijani scouts and by
the informal Armenian army organizations which used to exist. People
continue blowing themselves up on these mine fields. In compliance with
the agreements reached, US experts will hold joint training for Armenian,
Georgian and Azerbaijani sappers in September-October this year. Effective
from 2001, bilateral US-Armenian cooperation will start and the Armenian
side is hoping to get enough equipment for sappers to clear mine fields
successfully.
The removal of mines will be carried out after a course of training and
after Armenian sappers receive the necessary equipment.
KARABAKH OFFICIALS DENY ENCLAVE
USED FOR DRUGS TRANSIT.
Bako Sahakian, who is interior minister of the unrecognized
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, has rejected allegations by
Azerbaijani presidential apparatus official Ali Hasanov that
the enclave is used for the transit of drugs from Asia to
Europe, Noyan Tapan reported on 11 August. Hasanov blamed a
100 percent increase in drug addiction in Azerbaijan over the
last three years on the increased availability of drugs
transiting Karabakh. Sahakian said that his ministry fully
controls the situation in Karabakh. He affirmed his readiness
to cooperate with the Azerbaijani central authorities to
crack down on drugs smuggling. LF
RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 4, No. 155, Part I, 14 August 2000
U.S. OBJECTIVE ENOUGH IN KARABAKH ADJUSTMENT, SAYS OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIR
The U.S. co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Kerry Kavanaugh said one
needed to take into account the opinion of those who live in
Nagorno-Karabakh when solving the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict.
Otherwise, the probability of the conflict's renewal will remain. At
the same time, Mr Kavanaugh noted that the U.S. Armenian Diaspora is
not exerting "much pressure" on the process of adjustment of the
long-running conflict, although it is an important factor for the
government of Armenia. Touching upon the U.S. mediatory role in
adjustment of the conflict, Mr Kavanaugh said both Armenians and
Azeris accuse Washington in prejudice. "But I think the U.S. is
objective enough," the U.S. diplomat. Speaking of his recent
meetings with representatives of the U.S. Armenian Diaspora, the
Minsk Group co-chair said many Armenians supported the peace process.
"Each day, the population of Armenia is more and more realising the
necessity of peace, since they face the consequences of the conflict
every day," Mr Kavanaugh said. As for the adjustment process, the
U.S. politician said the OSCE Minsk Group supported the process of
dialogue. "New meetings of the two presidents will be held in the
nearest time and new proposals concerning the Nagorno-Karabakh
resolution process are to appeare exactly as a result of those
meetings," the U.S. diplomat concluded.
By Staff Writers
ANS News, August 11, 2000
ARMENIAN DEFENSE MINISTER NOTES
IMPROVEMENT IN ARMED FORCES.
Serzh Sarkisian, who was appointed defense minister for the
second time three months ago, told journalists in Yerevan on
10 August that the Armenian army is now "better armed, better
funded, and better organized" than in 1993-95 during his
previous term as minister, RFE/RL's Yerevan bureau reported.
He claimed that discipline within the armed forces is strong,
discounting repeated reports of hazing and the recent
incident in which two deserters shot eight people dead before
being apprehended (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 17 and 21 July
2000). LF
RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 4, No. 154, Part I, 11 August 2000
Armenian Defense Minister Reports Improvements In Armed Forces.
The combat-readiness of the Armenian armed forces has improved markedly
over the past seven years, Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisian claimed
on 10 August. Sarkisian told reporters that the army, which fought a
successful war against Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, is now
"better armed, better funded and better organized" than in 1993-95,
during his previous spell as minister of defense. "The difference is
really big," he said.
Sarkisian also insisted that discipline in the armed forces is strong
despite a recent incident in which two fugitive servicemen shot dead
eight people before being caught by the police. Also, parents of
dozens of soldiers killed in out-of-combat incidents held a series of
demonstrated outside the presidential palace in Yerevan last month,
protesting an alleged official cover-up of the crimes. "We do have a
normal army," the minister said.
A former wartime commander of Karabakh Armenian forces who has held
key posts in the government of the Republic of Armenia since 1993,
Sarkisian resigned as minister of national security in the wake of
last October's parliament shootings under pressure from political
allies of the slain leaders of the governing Miasnutyun bloc. He was
appointed as head of President Robert Kocharian's staff shortly
afterwards, retaining much of his political influence. (Margarit
Yesayan)
RFE/RL Caucasus Report, August 10, Vol. 3, No. 32
Baku Sun: Azeri POW arrives home quick
Date: Sat, 12 Aug 2000 02:04:52 -0700 (PDT)
by Vugar Mamedov
Ismail Ismailov was released by Armenian rebel forces in
Karabakh Saturday just a week after being taken as a prisoner of war.
The Azeri soldier was turned over at the Eraskh district on
the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia proper. The transfer was
brokered by the International Committee of the Red Cross.
What was different about Ismailov?s release was that it
occurred so quickly. Most of the Azeri and Armenian POWs who have
been freed over the past year had spent months or years in captivity.
Those involved in the on-again, off-again Karabakh peace
process say the Ismailov case offered a significant sign of hope.
They note that it came on the heels of the release by the Armenians
last month of three other Azeri POWs.
Before the summer holidays, the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) had stepped up its Karabakh conflict
mediation efforts. The fact that POWs are being set free indicates a
certain momentum continues.
Yet both Azerbaijan and Armenia are eager to please the
West after their simultaneous admission this spring into the Council
of Europe.
Engaging in the peace process is one way of doing that.
For years, the conventional wisdom has been that real peace
can only be attained after the Azeri and Armenian leaderships make
difficult compromises.
Copyright 2000 The Baku Sun
Armenians repatriate Azeri POW without preconditions
(Yerevan) Snark
in Russian
1340 GMT 5 Aug 00
Text of report by Armenian news agency Snark
Yerevan, 5th August: The Armenian side today handed over to the
Azerbaijani side a serviceman captured a week ago, without any
preconditions. The handover took place near the village of Yeraskh on the
Armenian-Azerbaijani border.
The information and propaganda department of the Armenian Defence
Ministry has told Snark news agency that the captured soldier was private
Ismayil Hajioglu Ismayilov, resident of the village of Norshen in Julfa
District of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic.
A report issued by the Defence Ministry says that the Armenian side
took this humanitarian step in order to strengthen the atmosphere of
mutual confidence. The Azerbaijani side, in the name of the government,
local command and the captive's relatives, thanked the Armenian
authorities, noting that this step would be met with a positive response
in Azerbaijan and promising to act according to the same principle in
future.
The chairwoman of the International Committee of the Red Cross in
Armenia, (?Liz Budron), representatives from the Armenian and Azerbaijani
Defence Ministries and the local command and other officials attended in
the captive's handover.
Liz Budron highly evaluated Armenia's move, noting that such a speedy
return of a captive would help establish stability and confidence on the
Azerbaijani-Armenian border. She also added that since 1996 this was the
first case of returning a POW directly on the border rather than by
transport from Yerevan to Baku.
Referred from Habarlar-L
Note: You will need Azeri fonts in order to be able to read the news in Azeri language.
