Archive News
Collected during November 30- December 5
THE OSCE MG CO-CHAIRS WILL VISIT BAKU IN DECEMBER
BAKU, 30 NOVEMBER, AZER-PRESS. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs will visit
the region of the Azer-Armenian conflict in the later half of December.
The agreement of the dates are preliminary.
It is felt in Baku that resolution of the conflict over Nagorno Karabakh
with the aid of the OSCE MG cannot be replaced or over-shadowed by the
other negotiation format (meaning the dialogue between the presidents of
Azerbaijan and Armenia). The president of Azerbaijan stated it in no
uncertain terms during the OSCE summit in Istanbul.
Baku expects the co-chairs to arrive at the scene with new proposals and
ideas about how to resolve the conflict other than by forming 'the common
state of Nagorno Karabakh Republic and Azerbaijan Republic.'
Copyright Habarlar-L
ARMENIAN JOURNALIST THINKS ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI TALKS ARE POSSIBLE ONLY AFTER OCCUPIED LAND IS LIBERATED
The Wednesday issue of "Azadlig" newspaper contains a story
concerning the seminar, "Women-leaders in the Caucasus", held in
Borjomi, Georgia. According to the co-chair of the Committiee for
oilworkers` human rights Mirvari Gahramanli, who attended the
seminar, the statement by an independent
Armenian journalist Maik Danilian caused tremendous interest. She
stated that Upper Karabakh negotiations can be held only after
Armenian troops are withdrawn from the occupied Azerbaijani
territories. M. Danilian also stated that Robert Kocharian is
illegitimate president as he is a citizen of Azerbaijan. She pointed out
the stationing of Russian military bases in Armenia and said Armenia
is not an independent state, "Azadlig" writes
DemBloc makes statements over OCSE Istanbul summit
A group of opposition MPs, DemBloc, has made a statement saying
the OSCE Istanbul Summit Declaration, which does not make any
mention of the Karabakh conflict settlement based on the principle of
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, human rights of 200,000 Azerbaijani
refugees from Armenia and 1 million from Karabakh, has dealt a
serious blow upon the last hope of the Azerbaijan people for OSCE.
In this connection, DemBloc considers the OSCE Istanbul summit as
another setback of the Azerbaijani diplomacy.
In an individual statement of the Popular Front Party, it gives a
similar assessment to the summit results. The party claims that signing
of any treacherous documents on Upper Karabakh didnt take place
in Istanbul because of the sharp condemnation and resistance of the
opposition. PFPA, therefore, reiterates the need for mobilizing the
opposition forces and calls upon ruling circles of Azerbaijan to
relinquish the policy hurting the national interests, the statement
says.
Assa-Irada News December 1-2, 1999
Copyright 1999 AssA-Irada
Referred from Habarlar-L
OSCE Minsk group co-chairmen to visit Upper Karabakh in the half decade of December
Baku. 02.12.99. /AzadInform/. The OSCE Minsk group co-chairmen will visit
Upper Karabakh in the II half of December. The visit aims to become close
familiar with current situation at the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict zone.
Preliminary agreement over date of visit had been already reached, reliable
sources close to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs report. According to the
sources, the Azerbaijani party holds, the Minsk group's efforts for
settlement of the conflict might not prevent face-to-face meetings of
Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents.
Danger of capitulatory Karabakh peace deal not gone, Azeri ex-president says
Posted Tuesday, November 30, 1999 - 15:20 GMT by News Editor
PFAP [People's Front of Azerbaijan Party] Chairman Abulfaz Elchibey held a
press conference devoted to the results of the [OSCE] Istanbul summit on
26th November. As usual Elchibey began the press conference paying
compliments to the media representatives and requesting them to put the
issue of Southern Azerbaijan [Northern Iran] on the agenda, and explained
the Nagornyy Karabakh problem from the angle of the superpowers' struggle
for the Caucasus.
In Elchibey's opinion, a capitulatory peace agreement on Karabakh was not
signed in Istanbul only because of two factors. Firstly, Russia, which does
not wish to be out of the game, caused various obstacles to this by various
means. And secondly, the Azerbaijani opposition offered resistance to the
signing of a capitulatory agreement. Elchibey said that the Istanbul summit
had not been successful for Azerbaijan and gave the following basis to his
thought: "The Baku-Ceyhan pipeline was not an issue of the Istanbul summit.
The issues of the OSCE summit were Karabakh, Chechnya, human rights, etc.
The agreement on the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline is at best the summit's
entertainment. The agreement could have been signed after the summit. Now
[Azerbaijani President] Heydar Aliyev is overemphasising the Baku-Ceyhan
agreement and speaks about success at the summit. Whereas he lost the main
problem."
Elchibey drew attention to the fact that Azerbaijan's territorial integrity
had not been mentioned in the summit's final document. He said that
Armenians regard this as their success. The PFAP leader said that the danger
of a capitulatory agreement was not over yet. He recalled French President
Jacques Chirac's statement that the agreement on Karabakh would be signed
within a month. Elchibey said that the fact that this statement was denied
by the Armenian leaders while the Azerbaijani authorities remained silent
about it concerns him. The ex-president said that to eliminate the danger
linked with Karabakh the Azerbaijani people should carry out activity in
three directions. "Firstly, it should be explained to the US authorities and
public that if a capitulatory peace deal is signed this may damage
Azerbaijani-US relations; secondly, Turkey should give up its indifferent
stand on Karabakh. Thirdly, pressure on Aliyev should be increased and he
should understand that if he surrenders Karabakh, the government will
change."
Elchibey also stressed that if the opposition was sure that the authorities
were not taking a capitulatory stance, it was ready to stop exerting
pressure. "Why doesn't Heydar Aliyev say even once that the agreement to be
signed on Karabakh will not damage the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan
and that no attempt will be made on our statehood and sovereignty? We are
ready to back down if he utters these two sentences." Elchibey said that the
authorities are ready for anything in order to stay in power. And to prevent
this, it is very significant to set up the National Resistance Movement. The
Chechen events, Amendment 907 [banning US aid to the Azerbaijani
government], the municipal elections, the processes in the PFAP and some
other issues were touched upon at the press conference. Elchibey said that
the PFAP intends to run in the municipal elections, but a boycott is not
ruled out either.
Source: `525 gazet', Baku
AZERBAIJAN IS IN THE FOCUS OF THE US CONGRESSMEN
BAKU, 24 NOVEMBER, AZER-PRESS. Congressman Peter King, a well-known
supporter of President Aliyev's policy, said in the US Congress that the
907th amendment to the Freedom support act banning direct governmental
assistance of the USA to Azerbaijan should be abolished.
The congressman believes this would promote peace, stability and security
in the Caucasus. Also, Mr King is confident that the USA should treat
Armenia and Azerbaijan equally in order to prove a successful intermediary
in the conflict over Nagorno Karabakh.
In the opinion of the congressman, the incident that took place in the
Armenian parliament on 27 October and lead to the murder of the Prime
Minister and Speaker have had a negative effect on Armenia's international
image and also affected the peace talks.
The congressman believes that Armenia should change its current standpoint
in order to achieve the soonest peaceable resolution. It had to be
remembered, said Mr King, that over 30,000 people were killed in the war,
and 1 mn became refugees.
The freedom of creed in Azerbaijan should promote the abolishment of the
907th amendment. Christopher Smith, chairman of the committee for
co-operation and security in Europe, gave a high evaluation of the freedom
of religion and the co-existence of many different religious confessions
and movements in Azerbaijan at the same meeting in the Congress.
Azer-Press news bulletin for 24 November
Copyright from Habarlar-L
Azeri paper moots post-summit scenario for Karabakh settlement
Posted Tuesday, November 23, 1999 - 15:28 GMT by News Editor
An Azerbaijani newspaper has said that both the authorities and opposition
will feel vindicated by the fact that no accord on Nagornyy Karabakh was
signed at the OSCE Istanbul summit. Analysing the post-summit scenario, the
paper suggests that the USA will play the main role in negotiations on
Karabakh and exploit Russia's entanglement in the North Caucasus to resolve
the issue. However, if Russia manages to end the
Chechen conflict, it may try to regain control of Armenia from the USA and
the conflict will linger on. The paper adds that the failure to sign an
accord in Istanbul may soften relations between the Azerbaijani authorities
and opposition and their relations could further improve with an amnesty for
political prisoners. If the Karabakh issue is temporarily sidelined the
opposition may also lose its motivation to close ranks against the
authorities and new splits could appear between the different parties.
The OSCE summit that shook Azerbaijan's complacent life ended in Istanbul
yesterday. The results failed to justify our apprehensions: no legal
document threatening our country's territorial integrity was signed in
Turkey.
Why was the document on tackling the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict that the
two countries' presidents had been nurturing for several months under the
supervision of the United States not signed either before or during the
Istanbul summit?
The Azerbaijani opposition calls it its victory, assuring us that only its
activisation, which led to a sharp polarisation in society within a short
time, stopped Heydar Aliyev from completing the work he had started. For his
part, the Azerbaijani president is likely to gauge the outcome of the summit
as a victory for his administration. In turn, the international community
links this to the terrorist act in the Armenian parliament, which delayed
the negotiating process. Perhaps all these reasons played a own role to some
extent or other. There was an increasing risk of the situation destabilising
in Azerbaijan and Armenia which, of course, did not suit the mighty
trans-Atlantic "boss" and jeopardised its peaceful initiatives and myriad
regional projects.
We should not forget that these events were going on at the same time that
Russia launched an offensive in the North Caucasus, using its powerful
military-industrial complex. In any event, the Istanbul summit failed to
resolve the Karabakh problem, but life goes on. What awaits Azerbaijan in
the post-summit period?
There is every reason to suppose that the negotiations on the problem will
continue. The main contribution to this will probably be made by the USA,
which, hijacking the initiative, will make every effort to cut (or at least
completely monopolise) the Karabakh knot by the time Russia finishes its
work in the North Caucasus. The events at the Istanbul summit also attest to
this: - Bill Clinton completed the work he had started: in his presence, the
presidents of five countries signed in Istanbul an agreement on constructing
a Baku-Ceyhan main export pipeline, the mention of which infuriates Russian
leaders;
- All the attention of the great powers was focussed on Moscow's actions in
Chechnya before the summit, during the summit and probably after the summit.
You could see the West's skilfully-drawn up tactics - to back Russia into a
corner so that the latter will be engaged only in justifying its actions on
its own territory without intending to exceed the bounds of what is
"permitted".
However, nobody is trying to discard Russia so quickly, otherwise the West
would not be expending so much effort on condemning its actions in Chechnya.
One cannot strip Russia of all its levers of pressure on the South Caucasus
in one hour. Nevertheless, the USA is already nurturing certain plans to
neutralise Russia and it is difficult to talk about the min detail. One
quote from Isa Gambar, leader of the Musavat Party, would be apt here: "The
course of the post-summit development will pivot on factors proceeding from
the mutual relations of the USA and Russia. The Karabakh problem will also
be examined in this context."
If we predict prospects for a Karabakh settlement, we can highlight three
main variants:
1. The operation to capture Chechnya lingers and Russia's position in the
international arena worsens. The White House continues putting pressure on
the Kremlin using diverse political, diplomatic and financial-economic
methods. In this case, the USA swiftly completes the negotiating process on
Karabakh, and somewhere on neutral territory and in the presence of Bill
Clinton, [Azerbaijani President] Heydar Aliyev and [Armenian
President]Robert Kocharyan sign a final agreement on resolving the conflict,
which will be taken ambiguously in Azerbaijan and Armenia.
2. Russia manages to successfully finalise the Chechnya operation and
strengthen its position in the North Caucasus. Under Western pressure, the
Russian Federation responds in its traditional manner, emphasising some
nuances of its relations with China and Iran, and at the same time, using
its influence on Armenia (we should not forget similar efforts by Tehran),it
gets that country away from US supervision. In this case, the settlement
lingers on again. Much in this case will depend on the Azerbaijani and
Armenian authorities.
3. Surprises take place either in Baku or in Yerevan (the terrorist act in
the Armenian parliament showed that this is quite possible). The government
might be replaced in one of the countries and the new leadership will have
to scupper "the disadvantageous peace talks" and transfer the settlement to
a military-political level under strong public pressure.
Russia will try to take advantage of the destabilising situation in the
region. Where it leads Azerbaijan will depend on how correctly our political
elite acts.
The failure to sign an accord on Karabakh in Istanbul will somehow soften
the internal political situation. The opposition statement that if Heydar
Aliyev does not want to sign this document, opponents to the regime are
ready to help the head of state by every possible means will appear on the
agenda again. Help might be both direct (open dialogue between the sides)
and indirect (co-ordinated actions by the opposition and authorities on the
Karabakh issue).
For example, if the West continues putting pressure on Aliyev to make him
sign a peace agreement, the opposition will bolster its protest actions.
This will give the president certain trump cards.
The impending municipal elections could slightly divert the opposition's
attention from the Karabakh topic if no significant events happen in
connection with the conflict before 12th December [date of municipal
elections]. The authorities have put on the agenda the issue of alterations
to the law "On the Central Electoral Commission". If these alterations are
made, it will be quite possible to cool the opposition's ardour concerning
the elections.
Another step towards a thaw in opposition-government relations may be an
amnesty, if it also affects political prisoners [unlike in previous years].
The first step has already been taken: several ex-leaders of the Islamic
Party were pardoned this week.
The temporary sidelining of the Karabakh problem could lead the opposition
to lose its motivation to close ranks. The impending municipal elections and
prospects for parliamentary elections will disturb the wobbly idyll in the
opposition, inter and intra-party intrigues will begin again and new blocs
will appear. Some outlines are already visible: it became known recently
that the sixth party that joined the "five" opposition organisations
(People's Party, Unity Party, Civic Solidarity Party, Namus Party and
Peasants' Party) was the Musavat Party. This bloc may get back on its feet
and turn into a pro-Musavat one.
On the other hand, PFAP [People's Front of Azerbaijan Party] functionaries
have repeatedly stated that they may set up a bloc involving parties close
to the PFAP (Compatriot Party, the Party for Democratic Independence of
Azerbaijan (reformers), the People's Democratic Party and others).
The third union - the Bloc for Constitutional Elections boycotting the
municipal elections -already exists. There could be changes even with this
disposition of forces.
Resignations in the authorities are being postponed until the new
activisation of negotiations on Karabakh. At the same time, changes are
expected in the establishment. The president's working schedule has
noticeably eased since the end of the summit and he can engage again
informing a team around his son Ilham Aliyev.
There will be talk again about holding a congress of the [ruling] New
Azerbaijan Party [NAP], which is meant to play a major role in mutual
intra-government relations.
"We know who is helping Chechnya and through which countries militants and
weapons get into the North Caucasus. Soon I will appeal to the leaders of
this countries." This statement by Russian President Boris Yeltsin at the
Istanbul summit shows that the introduction of a visa regime will not be the
last step taken by Moscow against Azerbaijan and Georgia.
The Azerbaijani authorities are fated to have another host of unpleasant
conversations with their Russian counterparts.
As for relations with the USA and Europe, much will depend on how much the
West blames Azerbaijan for refusing to sign a peace agreement, although
another important document - the Baku-Ceyhan main export pipeline ? will
boost Azerbaijan's integration into the Euro-Atlantic area.
It is not ruled out that President Aliyev will visit Iran soon, where the
sides will make attempts to move closer to each other. However, the route
might change and the head of state might well visit Tel-Aviv instead of
Tehran, since the visit to Tel-Aviv has long been postponed. As for
remaining issues, there are still no changes. Leonid Kuchma's victory in the
presidential elections in Ukraine shows that fortunately there is no need to
expect any cataclysms in the prospects of GUUAM [Georgia, Ukraine,
Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Moldova].
On the contrary, the presidents of Georgia, Azerbaijan, Moldova and
Uzbekistan will probably visit Kiev to inaugurate the new old Ukrainian
president and will use this event to hold another sitting of GUUAM.
Source: 'Zerkalo', Baku
Azeri head said in a hurry to sign agreement on Karabakh - paper Posted Tuesday, November 23, 1999 - 15:28 GMT by News Editor
The recent processes taking place in both states which have been at war for
11 years, are in the focus of the world. The "activity" of the Clinton
administration in resolving the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict is being
assessed by observers on the one hand as the desire to take the region under
its full control, on the other hand it is being evaluated as anintegral part
of the Democrats' election campaign.
Three unsuccessful meetings between President Heydar Aliyev and his Armenian
opposite number, as well as the official letters from the US secretary of
state, vice-president and President Bill Clinton to Baku, including the
visits of roving ambassador Stephen Sestanovich and Strobe Talbott to the
region, have been treated negatively by the Azerbaijani opposition and the
people. The state officials directly dealing with foreign policy issues -
Vafa Guluzade [state foreign policy adviser], Tofig Zulfugarov [foreign
minister] and Eldar Namazov [chief of the presidential secretariat] resigned
and by their steps demonstrated their solidarity with the people.
According to verified information, one of the main reasons for the
resignations of the chief of the presidential secretariat, Eldar Namazov,
and Foreign Minister Tofig Zulfugarov was the secret letter (Chairman ofthe
Party for National Independence of Azerbaijan Etibar Mammadov made public
the full contents of the letter) sent by the US president. Other reasons
were instructions issued by Heydar Aliyev at the sitting of the Security
Council for Eldar Namazov to draw up the text of an agreement and for Tofig
Zulfugarov to sign the agreement. Unlike other representatives ofthe
authorities, who preferred to keep their posts to the interests of State,
Nation and Honour, they decided to go down in Azerbaijani history with their
reputations unblemished.
In spite of the efforts of Heydar Aliyev's government to cover up the
reasons for the resignations, they failed. Even yesterday the USA, which has
recently been increasing unilateral pressure on Azerbaijan, linked the
resignations to serious disagreements in Heydar Aliyev's government over the
signing of the peace agreement with Armenia. Unlike the other high-ranking
positions which remained vacant after the resignations, the post of foreign
minister did not wait long for a new appointment. Two days after
Zulfugarov's resignation MP Vilayat Guliyev was appointed to this post.
Analysts substantiate this appointment with one reason. The USA is insisting
on signing an agreement which envisages the simultaneous liberation of
territories and the defining of the Nagornyy Karabakh status, based on
definite "framework principles", with Armenia by the Istanbul summit.
It should be noted that the signing of an agreement has been the form
demanded by Armenia until now. And Heydar Aliyev's government is agreeing to
this pressure and the USA proposals. In return for this the Clinton
administration is pledging political and economic support.
The OSCE Istanbul summit is approaching and Aliyev's government is in haste
and for this reason Vilayat Guliyev has hurriedly been appointed foreign
minister. Certainly, we cannot say now that Guliyev will sign the infamous
peace treaty. However, his saying that "Azerbaijan's foreign policy is
determined by Heydar Aliyev and the Foreign Ministry is only engaged in
implementing this policy" and the words of a high-ranking official from the
US State Department that "Heydar Aliyev has appointed an obedient person to
the Foreign Ministry post" have caused serious concern and disagreement
among the public.
US Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott appeared in Azerbaijan after the
resignations in Azerbaijan and the revealing of Clinton's secret letter by
PNIA Chairman MP Etibar Mammadov. Although the public was not told anything
about the meeting with Heydar Aliyev held behind closed doors, it emerged
from a snippet on AzTV1 that Strobe Talbott came to Baku to learn about the
situation and increasing disagreement with Aliyev after the resignations and
about his loyalty to the compromise policy.
Source: 'Millat', Baku
Two above: Caspian Times news for the week of November 23-29, 1999
Copyright Habarlar-L
Baku. 30.11.99. /AzadInform/. Negotiations on Karabakh settlement in 2000
year will bear more intensive character. Activity of OSCE Minsk group
including US and France on this question is in the limelight, F. Agamaly,
Ana Veten Party chairman, MM deputy said. Motivating this fact by results of
Istanbul Summit, he called groundless some observers opinions regarding
non-solution of problem during the leadership of the present administration.
According to him, stable situation in Armenia might lead to the sooner
resolution of the conflict. "Acts of terrorism in Armenia prevented adoption
of any document on the Upper Karabakh settlement at the Istanbul Summit" -
F. Agamaly said. If Russia stops interference in processes taking place in
Armenia negotiations between heads of states of Azerbaijan and Armenia will
gain an intensive character and concrete results of the Karabakh problem are
to be achieved at the first middle of 2000 year.
Copyright from Habarlar-L
U.S. Congress leaves 907 in effect
After a lengthy series of consultations between the
executive and legislative power branches of the USA held
November 18 and 19 in the House of Representatives and
Senate respectively, the wording of the draft bill on
budget assignments on foreign operations for the fiscal
year 2000 was considered and adopted, according to the
Foreign Ministry press-service. As is known, an attempt
was made this year by Senatior S. Brownback to introduce
(within the draft "Act on Silk Route strategy") a
provision, according to which the US President would be
provided with an opportunity to suspend Section 907 for
the national interests. The proposal, however, was not
suppor-ted by the majority of congressmen, which caused
tremendous disapproval in Azerbaijan. The annual
Memorandum of the US Administration is known to recognize
the fact that Armenia has occupied 20% of Azerbaijan`s
territory and is considered to be one of the countries "to
be violating the Helsinki Final Act on territorial
integrity and state sovereignty". The document says that
"Armenia is providing Upper Karabakh separatists in
Azerbaijan with military and financial assistance. Upper
Karabakh forces with the aid of Armenian Armed Forces are
currently occupying the Upper Karabakh region of
Azerbaijan and adjacent Azerbaijani land". However, no
sanctions are being exercised against Armenia as Section
907 remains in effect, which can be characterized as
"double-standard" policy. The current situation casts a
serious shadow on the unprejudiced position of the USA in
the OSCE Minsk Group. In conclusion, the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan expresses a hope that
Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act would be abolished
soon.
DemBloc, PFPA Make Statements Over OSCE
Istanbul Summit
A group of opposition MPs, DemBloc, has made a statement
saying the OSCE Istanbul Summit Declaration, which does
not make any mention of the Karabakh conflict settlement
based on the principle of territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan, human rights of 200,000 Azerbaijani refugees
from Armenia and 1 million from Karabakh, has dealt a
serious blow upon the last hope of the Azerbaijan people
for OSCE.
In this connection, DemBloc considers the OSCE Istanbul
summit as another setback of the Azerbaijani diplomacy.
In an individual statement of the Popular Front Party, it
gives a similar assessment to the summit results. The
party claims that signing of any treacherous documents on
Upper Karabakh didn`t take place in Istanbul because of
the "sharp condemnation and resistance of the opposition".
PFPA, therefore, reiterates "the need for mobilizing the
opposition forces and calls upon ruling circles of
Azerbaijan to relinquish the policy hurting the national
interests", the statement says.
YEREVAN NOT TO AGREE WITH THE
STATEMENT OF JACQUES CHIRAC
In the opinion of Vardan Oskanian, Armenian foreign minister, it is not
practically possible to realize a contract on Karabakh for a month.
"It is doubtful beginning talks on the regulation of the conflict with the
participation of Upper Karabakh again", stated Vardan Oskanian, the
Armenian foreign minister, yesterday.
"Hardly it will be possible again begin talks with the participation of
Upper Karabakh in the framework of the Minsk group in current year,
regardless of the expected visit of the OSCE Minsk group's
co-chairmen to the region in recent days". Mr. Oskanian stated that
perhaps, it would be possible next year. ("Turan")
The Armenian foreign minister recommended journalists not to
hurry giving value to the results of the OSCE Istanbul summit. In the
opinion of Mr.Oskanian, there has been gained some success
comparing with the Lisbon summit.
Mr. Oskanian was not agreed with the opinion of the French
president Jacques Chirac on the possibility of signing any document on
Upper Karabakh problem in recent one month. He said that the
realization of such decision for a month is practically impossible.
* ANDF
Copyright Habarlar-L
OSCE Istanbul Summit Over
On the last day of the summit, heads of the OSCE member-states
signed the final document of the forum. The agreement on
Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) was signed by heads of 30
states, including the President of Azerbaijan. The final declaration of
the summit and the European Security Charter were signed by all the
54 meeting participants.
Heydar Aliyevs meetings
A day before the summit commenced, on November 17, a forum of
Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) member-states was held in
Istanbul on November 17. The parties have adopted the Istanbul
Declaration. The BSEC summit was also attended by President Aliyev,
who delivered a speech.
On November 18, the first day of the summit, Azerbaijani and
Armenian Presidents held a meeting at the Istanbul conference center
Chiragan Sarayi, which was participated in by foreign ministers of
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and the OSCE chairman-in-office.
The parties touched upon issues related to the settlement of the
Karabakh conflict.
On the same day, President Aliyev met with the US President Bill
Clinton, resident of France Jacques Chirac, President of Turkey
Suleman Demirel, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Presidents of
Turkmenistan Saparmurad Niyazov and Georgia Edward
Shevardnadze.
President Aliyev addresses summit
On November 18, President Aliyev delivered a speech at the Istanbul
summit, in which he stated with some regret that on the eve of the
21st century, after two destructive wars and a cold war, Europe has
been unable to enforce the principles and objectives set forth about
quarter a century ago in Helsinki. Threats to sovereignty, territorial
integrity and overall security of OSCE member-states have
unfortunately become a ruthless reality. I am again drawing the
attention of the international community to the status Azerbaijan has
ended up with. For over 6 years, a fifth of Azerbaijans territory has
been under Armenian occupation. As a result of the perpetrated
ethnic cleansing, a million of Azeris have been ousted from their
native homeland. H. Aliyev also voiced his resentment over the fact
that OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs have not been assertive enough
to enforce the resolution of the previous summit in Lisbon, Portugal,
and that the entire Minsk process has become more passive. The
President reiterated that Armenians and Azeris can and must live
together in the Upper Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and share the
peace and stability atmosphere there. But before this can happen,
Azeri lands that are currently under occupation must be liberated and
the status of Upper Karabakh within Azerbaijan determined.
President Aliyev said his direct talks with the President of Armenia
cannot replace the work of the OSCE MG and called upon the
international community to be consistent and resolute in enforcing
the conflict solution principles.
President Aliyev said further that in the next century OSCE must
first of all develop its multi-national peace-keeping forces. H. Aliyev
said the effectiveness of the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE)
agreement must be upgraded and added that militarization of the
region and illegal stationing of foreign weaponry in Azerbaijans
occupied soil may jeopardize the countrys security.
The President of Azerbaijan suggested that a Pact on Security and
Cooperation in South Caucasus be set up, on the basis of which
foreign military forces would be withdrawn from the region and end
would be put to aggression, ethnic cleansing, separatism and
terrorism. Such a Pact would contribute to the establishment of
peace, stability and security in the region, President Aliyev said.
Baku-Ceyhan MEP agreement signed
Presidents of Turkey Suleyman Demirel, of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev
and of Georgia Edward Shevardnadze have signed the trilateral
agreement on construction of the Baku-Ceyhan Main Export Pipeline
(MEP) to transport Caspian oil to world markets.
Russian President bangs the door
Russian President Boris Yeltsin left the OSCE summit late on
November 18 for Russia. He is said to have taken the step in the
wake of the bickering with President Clinton. Speaking of Russias
military campaign in Chechnya, Russian President said it was an
internal affair of Russia and no state had a right to meddle with an
internal affair of another state. In reply, US President said, when you
climbed up a tank several years ago in support of freedom and
independence, we all stood out to protect you. Why didnt you then
say it was an internal affair of Moscow? According to Turkish press,
the infuriated Russian President struck his hand on the table and
shouted an abuse at President Clinton.
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs adopt a statement
The statement adopted by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs in
Istanbul on November 18 says that MG welcomes resumption of
negotiations on peace settlement of the Upper Karabakh conflict and
direct contacts between leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Co-chairs agree that the dialogue will lead to a peace settlement and
remain the most acceptable format for the problem solution.
The statement says that a distinct agreement will be reached that the
parties to the conflict must determine mutually acceptable decisions
on their own as they have all the necessary tools outlined by the
proposals of mediators made in 1997-1998.
The document also reflects a hope that the developments in the
region, in particular the terrorist act in the Armenian parliament and a
series of resignations in the government of Azerbaijan, will not affect
the peace process and terms of a final solution of the problem. The
statement further says that MG co-chairs are certain that at some
point representatives of Upper Karabakh must join the on-going
Azeri-Armenian dialogue. Without taking into account the interests of
Upper Karabakh, it will be impossible to find a real solution to the
Karabakh conflict, the statement says.
President Aliyev Pleased With
Summit Results
President Aliyev returned from Istanbul to Baku on Saturday
afternoon. In an interview with journalists at the Bina airport, the
head of state spoke highly of the summits work, documents adopted
there and added that they represented immense importance for
Azerbaijan. He highlighted the importance of three of the documents
for Europe and stated that they would serve principles of protection
of peace, stability, territorial integrity of states, peace settlement of
existing conflicts and democratic development. H. Aliyev said
Azerbaijan had signed all of the mentioned documents as well.
Speaking of the agreement of Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE),
the President voiced his concern over what was done by former
authorities of Azerbaijan, who agreed to an extremely low quota of
conventional arms in the country. It is now impossible to elevate the
quota and Azerbaijan has had to sign the treaty as it was, H. Aliyev
said. Commenting on the final declaration of the summit, the
President said it was very much based on the present realities.
According to him, the declaration gives a high feedback to the
meetings of the Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents and stresses the
necessity for paying a particular attention to the solution of the
conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group. H. Aliyev regarded signing of
the final agreement on Baku-Ceyhan MEP as the climax of the visit.
Without the support of the USA, it would have been impossible to
sign the agreement, he said. The President also stated that an
additional memorandum on Trans-Caspian gas pipeline was also
signed in Istanbul. He expressed his confidence that the summit
would give a new impetus to negotiations over Upper Karabakh.
Asked of his feedback of the fact that the declaration does not make
any mention of Azerbaijans territorial integrity, H. Aliyev stated that
it had already been highlighted at the Lisbon summit, while the
Istanbul charter touches upon the territorial integrity of all states
and says that ethnic minorities must not undermine it, H. Aliyev said.
Karabakh Settlement Conserved
By Elkhan Shahinoglu, Azernews Contributor
As it had been expected, the summit focused its attention on the
humanitarian catastrophe in Chechnya, as OSCE member-states
declared their determination not to remain indifferent to the
developments in North Caucasus. As a result, Russia had to accept
Osco`s mediation mission. This, in fact, was reflected in provision 23
of the Final Declaration. Experts have immediately regarded this step
of Moscow as consent to embark on direct negotiations with the
Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov. It is probably even more
important that Moscow has thus agreed not to claim that the conflict
in Chechnya is an internal affair of Russia, something that Moscow
has vigorously maintained since the start of its military campaign. It
has been agreed that OSCE will establish a temporary office in the
capital of Ingushetia, Nazran, to carry out its broker mission.
Despite the pre-summit anxiety in Azerbaijan over signing of the
framework agreement on Upper Karabakh settlement, the summit
participants did not consider anything close to such a document. The
OSCE Minsk Group issued a statement, which barely differed from its
previous ones and included a very eloquent provision into the Final
Declaration. President Aliyev, well aware of Armenia`s right of veto,
opted for a quiet completion of the summit. Just like during the
previous summit in Lisbon, the Istanbul declaration highlighted the
territorial integrity of Georgia and Moldova in the wake of conflicts in
Abkhazia and Pridnestrovye respectively. With respect to the Upper
Karabakh conflict, provision 20 of the Istanbul Declaration has been
adopted in the following wording: "We welcome the intensified
dialogue between Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents. Such contacts
invigorate the peace process. We encourage and support such
contacts and are confident that they will give a new impetus to the
resolution of the conflict within the Minsk Group. We support the
Minsk Group and believe that it is the best format for settlement".
And that was all. Probably, this is the best alternative for Azerbaijan
today. It was openly stated in Istanbul that if it had not been for the
recent armed attack in the Armenian parliament, the framework
agreement could have become a reality. As a matter of fact, this
suggestion could well be discerned from Armenian President
Kocharian`s statement on Friday.
Many observers think that Washington too chose not to speed
things up in the end, as it decided to adjourn the Karabakh settlement
until after the shattered relationship with Russia over Chechnya
improves.
EU To Help Restore Upper Karabakh
If Azerbaijan and Armenia sign a peace treaty, European Union is
ready to provide financial assistance under the program of
restoration of Upper Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, according to the
EU representative in Azerbaijan Renato Batty. He said the list of
donors capable of providing financial aid to Upper Karabakh after the
peace accord is signed mainly includes large countries and such
international organizations as United Nations, World Bank and
European Union. Without spelling out the exact amount, Mr. Batty
said EU experts are currently evaluating the assistance. EU can also
participate in de-mining programs in Azerbaijans liberated territories,
he added. EU is funding a similar program in Bosnia.
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