ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
10/17/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Azerbaijan: still waiting for Rasul Guliyev 2) First Population Census in Mountainous Karabagh Republic since Independence 3) Hawk's Eye View of Armenia and Italy 4) SKEPTIK SINIKIAN: WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE BORDER? 1) Azerbaijan: still waiting for Rasul Guliyev BAKU (Eurasianet.org)Azeri opposition leader Rasul Guliyev, chairman of the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan, was detained by Ukrainian law enforcement authorities on October 17 while trying to return to Baku after nine years in exile. The former parliamentary speaker was arrested in the Simferopol Airport, in the capital of Crimea, Ukraine, en route to Baku from London to take part in the November 6 parliamentary elections. Guliyev was stopped at the airport at the request of Azeri authorities and is now being questioned by an Interpol representative in Crimea. A decision on the outcome of Guliyev's case is still pending, according to statements made by the Simferopol regional police department to news agencies. Guliyev, who was expected to arrive in Baku around 4pm local time, had chartered a flight earlier in the day from London to Simferopol where he negotiated with Azeri authorities to be allowed to fly on to Baku. According to Sabir Ilyasov, vice-president of Azerbaijan Airlines, the state-owned company that runs Baku's airport, the company received a landing request from a chartered plane carrying five passengers, including Guliyev. "We allowed them to land in Baku's airport, but he [Guliyev] refused to do it," Ilyasov said. Guliyev, however, has stated that the plane was denied permission to land. Members of Guliyev's Democratic Party of Azerbaijan, a member of the tripartite Azadlig bloc, the largest opposition election alliance, have said that the authorities fear Guliyev's return, and have argued that a large number of senior Azerbaijani officials support the return of the opposition leader from exile. Speaking in a paid advertising slot on the Azerbaijani TV station ANS on October 12, DPA member Qurban Mammadov vowed to publicize the names of these officials after Guliyev's return to Azerbaijan. "Many people will reveal their positions then," Mammadov said. "Thousands of state officials, including those with a high rank, have become members of the national committee for protecting the rights of Rasul Guliyev." General Prosecutor Zakir Garalov has repeatedly emphasized that the state intends to pursue its prosecution of Guliyev, wanted since 2000 on charges of embezzling more than $100 million in state funds while head of Azerbaijan's Azarneftyag oil refinery. Guliyev, who has been placed on an international wanted list, has denied the accusation and called it a political fabrication. Guliyev fled to the United States in 1996 after a falling out with then President Heidar Aliyev, father of Azerbaijan's current leader, President Ilham Aliyev. It is expected that representatives of the interior ministry will leave for Ukraine within a few days to negotiate Guliyev's extradition to Azerbaijan, ministry spokesman Sadiq Gezalov said. Although a candidate for parliament, Guliyev has been denied immunity from prosecution. Nonetheless, it is unclear how Guliyev's return to Azerbaijan--even under extradition--will play with members of the opposition. Guliyev's supporters had been urging followers to welcome him at Baku International Airport on October 17. On October 16, Interior Minister Ramil Usubov cautioned journalists and diplomats to stay away, warning of likely clashes with police forces. As of 10AM on Monday morning, automobile traffic on the highway leading to the airport was strictly restricted. Scores of Interior Ministry troops, armed with automatic rifles and wearing helmets, joined traffic police at a beefed-up checkpoint on the road between the airport and Baku. Usubov explained the heavy troop deployment by saying that authorities had received information that the so-called "radical" opposition intended to attack the airport and the surrounding areas in a two-pronged attack, under pretext of welcoming Guliyev. In a broadcast on the pro-government Lider TV, police showed several combat grenades and a pistol found on the roadside approaching Baku's airport. Police were also deployed within Baku, around the parliament building, the Soviet-era government house and Freedom Square, an occasional meeting place for unauthorized opposition demonstrations. Among those turned away from the airport was US Ambassador Reno Harnish, Azerbaijani Public TV reported. "All private and embassy cars have been banned from entering the airport territory since the participation in such an action runs counter to diplomatic activities," read an interior ministry statement in reference to the refusal to allow Harnish access to the airport. "Only people with tickets for certain flights and staff of the airport are allowed to enter the airport in special buses." In preparation for Guliyev's arrival, law enforcement agencies also arrested 26 individuals who officials believed likely to cause "provocation" in connection with the opposition leader's return. Former Finance Minister Fikrat Yusifov, and the former head of the Ganja city police department [and the incumbent DPA deputy chairman], Natiq Effendiyev, were among them. In an interview with the privately owned pro-government Lider TV, Interior Minister Usubov claimed that those arrested "bribed some people and . . . have drawn up plans to use force against the police. This plan exists." The minister claimed that 100,000 euros, $60,000, a pistol, and additional funds "for Guliyev's return" were found in Yusifov's apartment. Turan news agency reported that Democratic Party political council member Gurban Mamedov and Guliyev's nephew, Etibar Guliyev, have been detained by police. By the evening of October 17, more than 1,000 activists from the opposition Azadlig bloc had been arrested, according to Democratic Party of Azerbaijan headquarters. The interior ministry, however, puts the number of detainees at only 10-35 people. 2) First Population Census in Mountainous Karabagh Republic since Independence STEPANAKERT (Armenpress)--Authorities in Mountainous Karabagh Republic will conduct a population census October 18-27, making it the first since since the country declared independence from Azerbaijan. Officials said the census is another step towards "consolidating Karabagh's independence." In guiding the procedure, Armenia will be sending the head of its National Statistics Committee, Stepan Mnatsakanian, to detail the process that will be conducted by a government commission, which Karabagh's deputy prime minister heads. President Arkady Ghukasian said the census is necessary in order for the government to target specific projects and forecast socio-economic developments, based on the returns. The last census in Karabagh was held in 1989, when the population was 192,000 (76 percent Armenian; 23 percent Azeri; 1 percent Russian and Kurd). 3) Hawk's Eye View of Armenia and Italy YEREVAN (Combined Sources)--Photographer Hrair "Hawk" Khatcherian presented his new "Soaring Hawk," 160-page photo album last week at the Nareg Arts Union Hall. The photos, taken from a helicopter, represent all regions of Armenia and historical-cultural complexes of Mountainous Karabagh, Lake Sevan, mountains, as well as different corners of the capital city of Yerevan. "Our country is amazing from above," says the Canadian Armenian photographer. Addition works by Khatcherian, more than 50 photographs of medieval Armenian and cultural monuments in Venice and Rome, are featured in an exhibit that kicked-off on Monday in Yerevan to celebrate Days of Armenian-Italian Friendship. Commissioned by Armenia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the exhibit of the Canadian Armenian photographer will run through October 21. Days of Armenian-Italian Friendship, organized jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Italy in Armenia, also features a one-month festival of 15 films directed by the world-famous Taviani brothers, a National Gallery exhibit titled "See the Country of Italy," as well as a collection of treasures of the Mkhitarian Order in Saint Lazarus Island in Venice, Italy. 4) SKEPTIK SINIKIAN: WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE BORDER? Remember back a few months ago, when an entire herd of sheepliterally hundreds of sheepjumped off a cliff to their deaths in some village in Eastern Turkey and nobody could explain why? Well, apparently sheep aren't the only farm animals that Turkey's farmers have problems raising. This week, the World Health Organization and numerous other health organizations announced that Turkey has suffered an outbreak of the infamous Avian "Bird" flu. "What does that mean?" you ask. Well, let me put it this way: If you're in Turkey and you start sniffling, shivering, and coughing then don't have the chicken noodle soup. Why? Because you just might be looking at the source. The Avian "Bird" Flu is a disease that originated in Asia and is transmitted through birds, specifically chickens. Apparently, it's very dangerous, having killed 60 people since 2003 and the virus spreads like wildfire. In fact, the World Health Organization is predicting a pandemic soon. Not just an epidemic but a PANdemic. In case you were wondering, a pandemic is worse than an epidemic. It's an epidemic on steroids. Europe is shaking in its boots. As if Europe needed yet another reason to reject Turkey's accession into the European Union, the news of the bird flu in Turkey could not have come at a better time. I know what you're thinking. You're saying "OK, Skepo. We get it. Chicken flu. Turkey. We see the poultry puns coming a mile away." Well, you're wrong. This is serious business. Poor Turkey already became the butt of all sheep jokes with the mass suicide of 450 sheep. Now it has to quarantine almost 8000 chickens due to the lethal virus. I'm not saying that the spread of this disease was avoidable. No country is completely safe from this disease. For all I know, the next 9 piece chicken McNugget Happy Meal I order may come with an extra helping of McFlu. But I'm willing to bet hard currency that the Turkish authorities still don't have this problem under control and instead of tightening security and monitoring all imports, some corrupt official is allowing truckloads of chickens across the border as you read this. Another message this epidemic outbreak sent across the Bosphorus to Europe is that the Republic of Turkey is in a sad, disorganized, and corrupt state and that they can't take care of their own poultry. Now, Armenians have known for sometime that something was "a foul" in Turkey (I tried but I couldn't resist) but now, slowly but surely, the rest of the world is witnessing how incompetent the Turkish government is. This must be a serious blow to Turkey's ego. But Turkish citizens, don't worry. The Turkish government's top historians and spin doctors are hard at work at this very moment rewording the recent events that have occurred in their country to fit their psychological needs. I can just imagine what the official stance of the Turkish Department of Agriculture will be. It may sound something like this: "It is a tragedy that chickens have suffered during this time but we have to remember that scientists and historians disagree on how the chickens died. In fact, farmers in Turkey are lying about the figures of chickens which have been culled. Also, the chickens are not going to be destroyed but are being relocated from their chicken coops for their own safety. And let's not forget that many sheep have died during this period as well and the chickens aren't the only ones who suffered. The bottom line is this~E those damn chickens were siding with their Chinese chicken brothers across the border to overthrow the status quo in Turkey and if the Turkish government did order their extermination, then those stupid chickens deserved it! We are the Turkish Government and we approve of this message." I'm imagining a Colonel Sanders type character wearing a red fez, reading this message on TV and then cutting to a commercial of Kazakhi Fried Chicken. Well, all I can say is this: To all the people that were complaining that Turkey was blockading Armenia for so long, look who's smiling now! Was there ever a time you were more happy to hear that Turkey has no trade with Armenia? Blockade us all you want. What goes around, comes around. You can keep your border closed and take your bird flu with you! Hayastan will do just fine with what we have plenty of-pork, the other white meat. I always liked the McRib better anyway. Skeptik Sinikian is the current Southern California Zankou Chicken Eating Champion. This competition is not an official event. It's organized by Mr. Sinikian and he is the only participant and three year defending champion. If you would like to challenge him or suggest an answer to the question in the title of this article, email him at SkeptikSinikian@aol.com or visit his ridiculously outdated blog at <; All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2005 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.