INTERIOR TROOPS’ SPECIAL FORCES SUITABLE FOR MILITARY OPERATIONS IN KARABAKH
Today, Azerbaijan
URL:
Sept 26 2006
Commander of Interior Troops Zakir Hasanov: “I advocate public and
democratic control on the Army.”
The APA interviewed Commander of Interior Troops, General Lieutenant
Zakir Hasanov.
Azerbaijan has professional Interior Troops who are ready to fulfill
errands given by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. The main thing is that
our military personnel know their duties very well and ready to fulfill
them. The Interior Troops’ officers are mastering experiences of both
military body and law enforcement bodies. We are working on this issue.
What countries and international organizations do the Interior Troops
cooperate with?
We have been closely cooperating with Turkey’s Gendarmerie since
1997. Under the protocol, Turkey supports equipping, training of
personnel of the Interior Troops. Our Troops meet modern standards by
the assistance of the Turkish Gendarmerie. We are also cooperating
with China, Italy, Russia, U.S., Germany, Romania as well as with
NATO and FIEP. We conduct joint trainings. Our main task is to conform
the Interior Troops to European standards.
The assessment mission from the Association of the European and
Mediterranean Police Forces and Gendarmeries with Military Status
(FIEP) has visited Azerbaijan recently. What do you expect from the
talks. When do you think the Interior Troops will become FIEP member?
The FIEP assessment group familiarized with the service,
professionalism and social condition of the Interior Troops. They
get a certain idea of the Troops. The assessment group is preparing
a report for the member countries. This report will be discussed at
the FIEP secretariat and the decision on membership will be discussed
at the meeting of FIEP authorities.
Are there any plans on increase of defense expenditure?
The logistics of the Interior Troops is in high level. Great majority
of social problems have been solved in the past two years thanks to
the head of state’s and Interior Minister Ramil Usubov’s care. The
personnel, in particular soldiers of the Troops have been ensured
wide opportunities today. All the military units and military camps
meet modern standards. We opened a hostel for officers in Baku in the
past one year. The construction of hostels in Sheki and Guba is about
to be completed. We also established a holiday-resort for officers
in Nabran. 136 billion manats (AZM) have been allocated for us from
the budget. Our budget is increasing every year. We are planning to
implement social programs in 2007-2008.
Some countries benefit from the opportunities of Interior Troops and
similar bodies in solving problems like the Nagorno Karabakh problem.
How do you assess the Interior Troops’ preparation for operation
against the separatist forces in Karabakh?
Besides, the separatist regime, there are Armenian Armed Forces in
Nagorno Karabakh. If there were only separatist forces, the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict could have been solved in a short period of time.
It is not so difficult to neutralize a small gangster. We had to
resist large-scale forces of Armenia and their supporters. They have
been supplied with heavy weapons and therefore, they can be defeated
by large-scale military operations. However, the Interior Troops
are prepared to interfere in this armed conflict any time. We have
high professionalism, equipment and first of all high spirit in our
military personnel. We will also undertake responsibilities if the war
starts. These responsibilities can be neutralization and disarmament of
gangsters in the liberated territories, patrol services or organizing
diversions behind the enemy to support our army’s attack in mountainous
areas and so on. Our operation regiments can be involved in the
battles together with the Army. The special forces of Interior Troops
are being trained to be suitable for military operations in Karabakh.
However, the special forces are said to be used as riot squads to
suppress rallies and unrests most of all.
These forces are used to fight both armed crimes and preserve public
order. Their professionalism is always on focus. Our special forces are
cooperating with Turkish Gendarmerie. Our officers attend training
courses in Turkey. As coming to rallies, The Interior Troops do
not engage in politics, their function is to defend our state from
criminal and outlaw attempts. We participate only in preventing mass
unrests. The practice shows some outlaw forces organize mass unrests.
We are ready to fulfill our duty. I am convinced that no outlaw force
can violate stability in Azerbaijan today.
The Military Prosecutor’s Office says there is a high level corruption
in the Armed Forces. Is there such a problem in the Interior Troops?
I am not informed of the processes in other bodies. There should be
a strong control to prevent corruption. No officer or ensign of the
Interior Troops has been called to account for corruption or bribery
since 2002. The Troops are being overseen by the Interior Ministry
and several other bodies. The officers of the Prosecutor’s Office
regularly visit our military units. Corruption is unacceptable in a
military body.
The Council of Europe is also concerned over events contrary to
the Regulations of Armed Forces. What actions are taken to remove
such events?
Legal framework prevents contrary to the Army’s Regulations. If there
is a right behavior to a soldier, there will be no problem. We need
to cooperate with parents. Our body is open to parents. We invite
parents of soldier to the military units every weekend, and I attend
these meetings too. We advocate public and democratic control on the
Army. Then the problems will be removed. Since, we are integrating
into Europe, this control is necessary.
Do the parents complain of something?
The complaints are due to leave and permission of soldiers to go
home for a short-term. Taking into account possible events, we cannot
allow soldiers to the city as they do not know the city well. They are
from province. We allow them in groups and take leave in accordance
with legislation. We rarely receive complaints on relationships
among soldiers.
What about the establishment of the peacekeeping party in the Interior
Troops?
A peacekeeping party is to be established in the Interior Troops in the
framework of the cooperation program with NATO. Preliminary measures
have been implemented for this. The officers have been trained,
staff meeting NATO standards has been established. The party has been
supplied with weapons and equipment. There remains some measures to
be implemented regarding purchasing of communication facilities that
are used in NATO forces. This problem will be addressed in the context
of mutual relations, and the peacekeeping party will be ready early
in 2007.

EU DEBATES ‘FAIR BUT TOUGH’ TURKEY REPORT
EUPolitix.com, Belgium
Sept 26 2006
The European parliament insists controversial conclusions on Turkey’s
EU membership bid are “fair but tough”.
In a heated Strasbourg debate on Tuesday rapporteur Camiel Eurlings
hit back at his critics, saying his hard-hitting findings are all
based on facts.
“Unfortunately there is reason for criticism,” he declared. “We
regret the slow down in reforms and our criticism centres on the main
political reforms we wish to see in place.”
This sentiment was echoed by the Finnish EU presidency during the
plenary debate.
“We share the concerns over reforms,” Paula Lehtomaki, Finnish Europe
minister said. “Turkey needs to give fresh impetus to reforms.”
Eurlings used the debate to pressure Turkey to amend its penal code
and afford full freedom of expression to its citizens.
Article 301 of the Turkish penal code has come under attack in Brussels
– the subsection makes it a crime to insult “Turkishness.”
“Journalists still face trial on vague grounds of insulting Turkey
according to the notorious article 301,” EU enlargement commissioner
told MEPs.
“I cannot imagine an EU member state that doe not respect freedom of
expression,” he added.
The Eurlings report also calls on Ankara to improve freedom of
religion.
“Properties are still be taken away,” Eurlings declared. “Let this
stop. Give properties back to the religious minorities.”
On Cyprus, his report calls for a normalisation of relations and full
implementation of the Ankara protocol.
But Turkish MPs have slammed the report as “nasty” and unfair.
And in an attempt to appease his Turkish critics, Eurlings stressed
that he would be personally seeking to tone down controversial
conclusions on Armenia.
“Certain things were added to my report during the vote in the foreign
affairs committee,” he said.
Eurlings insists it was never his intention to force the Turks to
formally recognise this chapter of their history.
“This amendment was added when my report was being debated in the
parliament’s foreign affairs committee, and it is an amendment I
regret,” the Dutch MEP said.
“I said that formal recognition of the past is important but not a
criterion. I do hope for Turkish accession and I hope my tough but
fair report will be seen as an encouragement for Turkey.”

GEORGIA ‘HINDERING TURKISH-AZERI RAIL LINK’
By Emil Danielyan
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Sept 26 2006
Georgia is unexpectedly obstructing plans to build a controversial
regional railway that would connect Turkey to Azerbaijan and bypass
Armenian, reports from Ankara claimed on Tuesday.
“Georgia is deliberately delaying the start of work on the
Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railway,” an unnamed senior official
from the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in remarks reported by the
Baku daily “Zerkalo.”
“Georgia is one of the countries that will draw great benefits from
this project,” the official was quoted as saying. “Despite that,
Tbilisi is creating all kinds of bureaucratic obstacles to delay the
railway’s construction. This is absolutely incomprehensible.”
The Turkish, Georgian and Azerbaijani governments have for years been
discussing the project estimated to cost $400 million, saying that
it will promote regional stability and economic integration.
The Armenian government is fiercely opposed to its implementation
and says its main purpose to deepen Armenia’s economic isolation.
Official Yerevan says Turkey already has a rail rink with the South
Caucasus running through Armenia. The Kars-Gyumri railroad has stood
idle for more than a decade as part of the continuing Turkish economic
blockade of Armenia.
Armenian-American organizations have successfully lobbied the U.S.
Congress to ban any U.S. government assistance to the project. The
Senate’s Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee approved an
appropriate bill late last week. The U.S. administration has not
objected to the ban.
Turkish and Azerbaijani officials have dismissed the congressional
restrictions, saying that Ankara and Baku have sufficient resources
of their own to finance the project. According to the unidentified
Turkish official, Ankara is ready to spend $220 million for that
purpose. The head of Georgia’s state rail company announced earlier
this month that work on the 192-kilometer-long Georgian section of
the planned railway will be financed by an Azerbaijani government loan.

RUSSIANS COMPLETE TAKEOVER OF ARMENIAN POWER GRID
By Astghik Bedevian
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Sept 26 2006
After months of negotiations Russia’s national electricity company
completed late Tuesday its controversial purchase of Armenia’s power
distribution network that will boost the already strong Russian
presence in the Armenian energy sector.
The shares in the Electricity Networks of Armenia (ENA) were
formally transferred to an offshore-registered subsidiary of the
state-controlled RAO Unified Energy Systems (UES) in the presence of
Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisian and other senior Armenian officials.
The high-profile ceremony took place in Yerevan one year after the
announcement of the $73 million deal. The Armenian government agreed
to ENA’s sale in September 2005 on the condition that the Russians
assume the investment commitments and liabilities of the network’s
previous owner, the British-registered Midland Resources Holding.
Alexei Rapoport, the UES vice-chairman present at the ceremony, said
the Russian giant will invest $20 million in ENA during the first
year of its operations. He said the deal was initiated by the Armenian
government and emphasized Sarkisian’s personal role in the process.
It is still not clear why the transfer of shares has taken so long.
The Russians were reportedly having second thoughts about the takeover
after a former Armenian Energy Ministry official implicated the ENA
management in large-scale fraud. In a bombshell February interview
with two Armenian newspapers, Felix Tadevosian, alleged that an
official audit of ENA found that Midland has grossly inflated its
capital investments in the network and ran up more debts than was
previously thought. ENA strongly denied the allegations.
The Russian takeover of ENA was first made public and presented in
June 2005 as a “management contract” signed by UES and Midland. The
legality of the deal was seriously questioned by the World Bank
and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). But the
Western donors acquiesced when Midland and UES decided two months
later to formalize the sale of ENA and seek the Armenian authorities’
formal approval of the deal.
UES already controls, in one way or another, several major power
plants that provide 80 percent of Armenia’s electricity, including
the nuclear power station at Metsamor.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN TRADE MORE ACCUSATIONS AT UN
By Emil Danielyan
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Sept 26 2006
Armenia and Azerbaijan have failed to hold potentially crucial
peace talks in New York, accusing each other instead of hampering
international efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The foreign ministers of the two South Caucasus foes sounded
pessimistic about a near-term solution to the dispute as they
addressed the ongoing 61st session of the UN General Assembly late
Monday. Armenia’s Vartan Oskanian said Azerbaijan is reluctant to
accept international mediators’ most recent peace proposals, while
his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov accused Yerevan of
avoiding further direct negotiations with Baku.
Oskanian and Mammadyarov were expected to meet on the sidelines of the
Assembly session and try to kickstart the peace process that ran into
trouble earlier this year. Officials have said that the talks could
pave the way for another, potentially decisive Armenian-Azerbaijani
summit on Karabakh.
However, the two men failed to come face to face on Monday and were
not scheduled to do so on Tuesday. Oskanian was only due to meet
separately with the American, French and Russian co-chairs of the
OSCE Minsk Group in New York.
Oskanian and other Armenian officials have said that the planned
meeting of the foreign ministers was called into question by the
General Assembly’s decision earlier this month to discuss the conflicts
in Karabakh and elsewhere in the former Soviet Union. The issue was
included on the assembly agenda at the urging of Azerbaijan, Georgia,
Moldova and Ukraine. Armenia has long resisted UN involvement in the
Karabakh peace process, insisting that the Minsk Group remain the
sole mediating body.
“It is difficult to hope for the breakthrough in the negotiations
when Armenia rejects face-to-face meetings and refuses to take a
constructive approach to solve existing problems,” Mammadyarov said in
his speech. He charged that the Armenians are defying international
norms by insisting on international recognition of the Karabakh
Armenians’ right to self-determination.
Oskanian strongly denied this, arguing that Yerevan has largely
accepted the Minsk Group’s current peace plan that would allow the
predominantly Armenian population of Karabakh to determine the disputed
region’s status in a referendum. “One cannot blame us for thinking
that Azerbaijan is not ready or interested in a negotiated peace,”
he said. “Yet having rejected the other two compromise solutions
that have been proposed over the last 8 years, they do not want to
be accused of rejecting the peace plan on the table today.
“Therefore, they are using every means available – from state violence
to international maneuvers – to try to bring the Armenians to do
the rejecting. But Armenia is on record: we have agreed to each of
the basic principles in the document that’s on the table today,”
added Oskanian.
Azerbaijan’s position on the Minsk Group plan remains unclear, with
top aides to President Ilham Aliev regularly lambasting the mediators
for their refusal to push for a restoration of Azerbaijani control
over Karabakh. Mammadyarov noted in that regard that agreement on
Karabakh’s status requires the “consent of both the Azerbaijani
and Armenian communities of Nagorno-Karabakh,” but made it clear
that Baku is ready to consider only ways of ensuring its “self-rule
within Azerbaijan.” He also demanded Armenian withdrawal from “all
the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.”
Armenian officials insist that under the proposed peace deal, residents
of Karabakh will be asked to vote for the region’s independence,
reunification with Armenia or return under Azerbaijani rule. The
mediators have stopped short of publicly confirming this, saying
only that practical modalities of the referendum would be decided
“through further negotiations.”

MEDIA GROUPS SEE CONTINUED GOVERNMENT GRIP ON BROADCASTING
By Ruzanna Khachatrian
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Sept 26 2006
Armenia’s leading media associations brushed aside on Tuesday a
government bill which is designed to make a powerful body regulating
broadcasting more independent of President Robert Kocharian.
The bill stems from one of the recently enacted amendments to the
Armenian constitution which stipulates that the Armenian television
and radio stations must be regulated by an “independent” state body.
The existing National Commission on Television and Radio (HRAH),
which has the exclusive authority to issue and revoke broadcasting
licenses, has until now been single-handedly formed by Kocharian and
is widely believed to be controlled by him. Under the government bill
in question, the Armenian parliament and president would each appoint
four of its eight members for a six-year term. The current members
of the HRAH would be allowed to complete their tenures defined by
the existing Armenian law on television and radio.
The commission would also be required to “substantiate in a proper
manner” the distribution and withdrawal of television and radio
frequencies.
Justice Minister David Harutiunian, who presented the draft law to the
National Assembly, said these changes would help to reduce government
influence on to private broadcasters. Virtually all of them are loyal
to Armenia’s leadership at present.
The only TV channel that frequently broadcast criticism of the
government, A1+, was controversially pulled off the air by the HRAH
in April 2002. Its repeated attempts to resume broadcasts have since
been blocked by the regulatory body headed by a former senior member
of the presidential administration. Domestic and international media
watchdogs view this as a vivid indication of the government’s tight
grip on the Armenian electronic media.
In a joint statement, the Yerevan Press Club, the Armenian Union of
Journalists and three other groups said the proposed changes do not
ensure the HRAH’s independence and therefore “cause serious concerns
regarding freedom of speech and a fair and objective regulation of
the market for television and radio broadcasting.” They argued in
particular that it would take years before the composition of the HRAH
changes significantly. They suggested that the new commission have
16 members, half of whom would be appointed by the parliament at once.
The signatories complained that the legal amendments were drafted
by the government “hastily” and without consultation with local
journalists and organizations defending their interests. They urged the
parliament to delay the debate on the bill pending “public hearings”
on the issue.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MAMMADYAROV: AZERBAIJAN’S POSITION ON THE SOLUTION OF NK CONFLICT BASES ON RELEVANT UN RESOLUTIONS AND OSCE DECISIONS
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Sept 26 2006
“The situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan recently has
become a subject of urgent consideration by the General Assembly due to
the massive fires registered in those territories,” Elmar Mammadyarov,
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister said in the General Debate of the 61st
Session of the UN General Assembly.
“The Assembly adopted without a vote resolution stressing the necessity
to conduct an urgent environmental operation with a view of suppressing
the fires, overcoming the detrimental impact and rehabilitating the
affected territories. The resolution has two-fold purpose. On one hand,
it envisages a number of practical steps, including the assessment of
the short- and long-term impact of the fires on the environment as a
step in preparation for the environmental operation, counteracting to
the environmental degradation of the region and rehabilitation of the
fire-affected part of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. On the
other hand, it serves as an unprecedented example for engaging parties
to the conflict, Armenia and Azerbaijan, into a joint environmental
operation to be carried out directly in the fire-affected zone.
Implementation of resolution will contribute to establishment of
atmosphere of trust and confidence and will give positive impetus to
the negotiation process. Sadly, this is the only positive development
so far, and cannot be attributed to the overall situation around the
settlement process,” the Minister underlined.
Mr.Mammadyarov also mentioned that no substantial progress has been
witnessed in the solution of the Nagorno Garabagh conflict.
“The parties and mediators accepted the stage-by-stage approach in
the settlement process as the only possible option. The status of
self-rule for the population of the occupied Nagorno Garabagh region
cannot be defined today. It should be elaborated through peaceful,
democratic and legal process with direct participation and consent
of both Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of the Nagorno Garabagh
region. To that end, the occupying forces have to withdraw from the
occupied territories and necessary conditions have to be in place
to allow secure and dignified return of the Azerbaijani displaced
persons to Nagorno Garabagh region and surrounding territories of
Azerbaijan. Our position based on relevant resolutions of the UN
Security Council and OSCE decisions, which unequivocally demand
unconditional withdrawal of the occupying forces from all occupied
territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan,” he said.
Elmar Mammadyarov reproached Armenia for propagating by all means
the separatist regime established under its control in the occupied
territories of Azerbaijan and spreading myths and legends about the
historical past and alleged democratic and economic achievements of
the regime and said it has to take a number of steps for establishing
normal relations with its neighbors. The Minister also mentioned that
Azerbaijan as a newly elected member of the Human Rights Council once
again reiterates its readiness to cooperate with other Member States.
Mammadyarov stressed the recent growth in Azerbaijan economy. “The
year 2006 has marked a historic event for the region and beyond,
which is the official inauguration of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
(BTC) main oil export pipeline. At the same time we actively pursue
development of trans-regional infrastructure projects, in particular
Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad that has been recognized as an important
part of East-West and North-South transportation corridor.”
The Minister also said that GUAM Member-States’ interests coincide
with UN interests. He touched upon peaceful solution of the Lebanon
conflict, UN reforms and Azerbaijan’s economic achievements.

PLATVOET: PROGRESS CAN BE ACHIEVED IN FINDING MISSING PERSONS IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Sept 26 2006
“We can achieve progress in finding the persons missing as a result of
the conflicts in Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia,” said Leo Platvoet,
PACE rapporteur on prisoners of war and missing persons, APA’s Europe
bureau reports.
Mr.Platvoet said he believes progress will be achieved in the solution
of the problem on missing persons after his visit in Nagorno Garabagh
and Abkhazia.
“I arrived at a conclusion during my visit in Baku, Tbilisi and Yerevan
in June that the interested sides want to deal with this issue in
terms of humanitarian sphere not politics,” the rapporteur underlined.
Platvoet’s report on missing persons in the South Caucasus will be
discussed at January session of PACE.

OSKANIAN: “WE HAVE AGREED TO EACH OF THE CORE PRINCIPLES OF THE FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT ON THE SETTLEMENT OF THE CONFLICT”
Today, Azerbaijan
URL:
Sept 26 2006
One cannot blame Armenia for thinking that Azerbaijan is not ready
or interested in a negotiated peace, Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian stated at the 61st session of the UN General Assembly.
“Yet, having rejected the other two compromise solutions that have
been proposed over the last 8 years, they do not want to be accused
of rejecting the peace plan on the table today. Therefore, they are
using every means available to try to bring the Armenians to do the
rejecting. But Armenia is on record: we have agreed to each of the
basic principles in the document that’s on the table today. Yet, in
order to give this or any document a chance, Azerbaijan can’t think,
or pretend to think, that there is still a military option. There
isn’t. The military option is a tried and failed option. Compromise
and realism are the only real options. Garabagh succeeded in ensuring
its self-defense, it proceeded to set up self-governance mechanisms,
and it controls its borders and its economy. Formalizing this process
is a necessary step toward stability in our region,” Oskanian stressed.
Armenian Minister said he is closely following Kosovo peace process
stressing that this can be a precedent for the solution of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, APA reports.
He said Azerbaijan’s intention to patronize “Nagorno Karabakh
population” cannot be understood and is unacceptable.

EP REPORT ON TURKEY TO BE DISCUSSED TODAY
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Sept 26 2006
(Zaman) – The controversial report on Turkey’s progress towards
accession to the E.U. will be discussed in the European Parliament
(EP) General Assembly on Tuesday, reports Trend.
The draft report prepared by Dutch rapporteur Camiel Eurlings is
at the top of today’s agenda of the EP General Assembly, which will
convene in Strasbourg this afternoon.
The provision, which makes the recognition of the so-called Armenian
genocide a precondition for Turkey’s E.U. membership, is expected to
be removed from the draft with motions. Certain amendments are also
expected to be made on the Cyprus issue in favor of Turkey.
The report also asserts that Turkey had committed genocide against
the Pontus Greeks and Assyrians.
Voting on the report is to take place on Wednesday.