BAKU: Gabashvili: I am ready to favor Azerbaijan if the arsons prove

Konstantin Gabashvili: I am ready to favor Azerbaijan if the arsons proved

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Sept 7 2006

[ 07 Sen. 2006 15:09 ]

The military helicopter with Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili and
deputy chief of Armed Forces Staff Zaza Gogava on board, which was
fired from the South Ossetia, remains caused quite a stir in Georgia.

Konstantin Gabashvili, head of parliament’s international relations
committee told APA’s Georgia bureau that the latest event and missile
launching to President Mikhail Saakashvili’s helicopter with also US
Senator John McCain on board on 28 August are not accidental.

"This is a terrorist act. I think Barankevich, defense minister
of the unrecognized South Ossetia Republic, who was appointed by
Russian intelligence, stands behind all these. I wonder why foolish
Barankevich targeted the helicopter with the Senator on board. Can
you imagine what would happen if something wrong had happened to
McCain, who is so respected in the US authorities?" There is a group
of communist-fascist in Russia, who aim to rule the world. Therefore,
we want all Russian peacekeepers and military bases to be withdrawn
from our country. I am sure Azerbaijan will support us in this issue,"
the parliamentarian said.

Touching on the presence of representatives from Abkhazia and South
Ossetia in recent events on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the
alleged "Nagorno Karabakh Republic", which declared its independence in
occupied Azerbaijani territories, Mr.Gabashvili Russians are treating
the unrecognized bodies like puppets, which are doomed to similar fate.

"If Azerbaijan and Georgia turn out to refuse the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
oil pipeline and give the pipeline to a Russian company from the
British Petroleum, the situation will be quite different then. We
will have to refuse all that we gained during our independence. But
this way for achieving peace is not useful for us," he said.

As coming to the Nagorno Garabagh conflict between Armenia and
Azerbaijan, Gabashvili, "I have told my Armenian counterparts that they
should withdraw from the regions adjoining Nagorno Garabagh in order
to achieve any result. And Azerbaijan will take relevant steps if it
sees that Armenia does something. What we want is that Azerbaijanis,
Armenians, Georgians and other nations live in peaceful atmosphere,
make efforts for the development of their countries."

Georgian parliamentarian also touched on the destruction of cultural,
architectural heritage and arsons in the Armenian-occupied Azerbaijani
lands. He said the Armenian side says the fires are caused by extreme
temperature. He said neutral and fair international experts should
visit the scene and find the causes of the fire.

"If it is proved that Armenians committed arsons in Azerbaijani
territories, as Georgian representative, I am ready to back
Azerbaijan," Gabashvili said./APA/