TV slams rights activist’s “anti-Azerbaijani” remarks in separatist Karabakh
ANS TV, Baku
2 Jun 04
[Presenter] Azerbaijan’s Avaz Hasanov [member of the international
working group on hostages and missing persons] is making unofficial
attempts to bring closer Azerbaijan and Armenia which occupies most
of its territories.
To recap, our compatriot attracted the attention because he acted
against his state by visiting Nagornyy Karabakh from Armenian territory
and by giving a news conference in Xankandi [Stepanakert].
[Correspondent, over video of the news conference] The members of
the international working group for releasing POWs and hostages and
for tracing missing persons, Avaz Hasanov, Bernhard Clasen, Svetlana
Ganushkina and Karina Minasyan, went to Nagornyy Karabakh without the
Baku government’s authorization. Their Georgian counterpart, Paata
Zakareishvili, told ANS that the working group stayed at Armenia’s
Ararat Hotel. From there they went to Karabakh.
To recap, this is what Avaz Hasanov told the news conference in
Xankandi, which was also attended by the head of the Armenian community
in Nagornyy Karabakh, Albert Voskanyan, about the Baku government’s
desire for Armenians not to visit Azerbaijan:
We are involved in humanitarian activities as members of the
international working group. Our mandate is quite different. We
represent neither Azerbaijan, nor Armenia nor Karabakh. I cannot
understand why the coordinators of this group are not allowed to visit
Azerbaijan. Clearly the fact that our president called on the NGOs not
to cooperate with Armenia has something to do with that. As a human
rights activist I am involved in the issue of POWs. As a member of the
working group I have been to Armenia and Nagornyy Karabakh. Personally,
the president’s challenge is of no relevance to me, end of quote.
Commenting on the calls for war recently made in Baku, Avaz Hasanov
said that no-one needs another war in the region. The government
is artificially trying to give the impression that the Azerbaijani
public opinion is aggressive, Hasanov said.
To recap, Avaz Hasanov and his counterparts went to Armenia to
trace the hostages. However, relatives of the hostages regard as
insulting the anti-Azerbaijan remarks made by Azerbaijani citizen
Avaz Hasanov as he stood next to a separatist Armenian. For instance,
Asgar Nacafov, Gulsara Mahmudova’s husband, has been in captivity
for 11 years now. But there is no information about him. Before his
visit to Armenia, Avaz Hasanov told the woman that he would let her
know about her husband’s plight.
[Passage omitted: Gulsara Mahmudova questions Hasanov’s behavior]
[Correspondent, over video] Rafiq Nacafov [son of the hostage],
whose father is missing, accused Avaz Hasanov of circulating this
kind of reports.
[Rafiq Nacafov] They have gone there to trace the hostages. But
they have done nothing. On the contrary, they are involved in
anti-Azerbaijani propaganda.
[Correspondent, over video] Human rights activist Cingiz Qanizada
thinks that Hasanov made a mistake by going to Karabakh without
Azerbaijan’s authorization. He should explain this step.
[Qanizada, speaking to microphone in his office] I regret he said that
– if that is what he actually said. It is inadmissible to say that
the challenge by the Azerbaijani head of state is of no importance to
me, irrespective of who the president is. I think if the state and
the president, within his constitutional rights, make moves for the
liberation of Karabakh tomorrow, people like Hasanov might not join
such moves but form such opinions. Naturally, I denounce this.
[Passage omitted: Hasanov’s mother does not believe her son would
make statements against Azerbaijan]
[Correspondent, over video] There is another interesting
fact. Hasanov’s mother told us something interesting: she said that
Hasanov himself had once been in Armenian captivity.
Qanira Atasova, Sehrac Azadoglu, Sadiq Mammadov, ANS.