PACE to consider report on ‘political prisoners’ in June

Baku, June 1, AssA-Irada

A report by rapporteur on political prisoners in Azerbaijan Malcolm
Bruce has been included in the agenda of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe (PACE) June session.

Member of the Azerbaijani delegation at PACE, MP Aydin Mirzazada,
says Azerbaijan is discontent with some provisions of the report, in
particular, the demand for immediate release of Elchin Amiraslanov,
Arif Kazimov and Farhad Poladov, who are responsible for grave crimes,
he said.

“The Council of Europe is open for discussions and the Azerbaijani
delegation will convince their colleagues at PACE that it is
impossible to free these individuals, as they pose a threat to
society,” Mirzazada added.*

Intermediaries call for ‘compromise’ amid frequent shootings

AzerNews
1-7 June 05

French co-chair of the mediating OSCE Minsk Group has denied Armenia’s
responsibility for frequent ceasefire breaches on the frontline. “Do
you think the ceasefire is violated only by Armenia? You are wrong”,
Bernard Fassier told a news conference on Friday following talks on
the Upper Garabagh conflict held by the MG co-chairs in Baku.

Fassier said that the persistent ceasefire violations jeopardize peace
talks and the conflicting sides should ‘prepare their countries for
compromises instead of making harsh statements’.

Armenia has violated ceasefire on a daily basis over the past few
months, which resulted in killing and wounding dozens of military
men on both sides.

Fassier said France is confident that there is extensive potential
for a peaceful conflict resolution, but ‘time is scarce and should
not be wasted’.

The co-chair mentioned that he was an officer in the French army for
25 years prior to becoming a diplomat, which played an important role
in terms of his present activity. “War is the worst way out”, he said,
emphasizing that France supports a peaceful conflict resolution.

Fassier dismissed allegations on the lack of activity by the mediators.

“The co-chairs can only provide advice and will not solve the problem
instead of the conflicting sides. Both countries believe that the
Minsk Group is to blame if nothing happens. But progress has not been
achieved so far because the sides have not been ready for this.”

Fassier said, however, that the co-chairs now see ‘the willingness
of the sides to solve the problem’.

Fassier said that the Warsaw meeting of the Azeri and Armenian
Presidents on May 15 was important, positive and constructive. The
intensifying talks were the key indication that the meeting was
successful, he said.

The co-chairs are to meet with Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanian in Yerevan early in June, Fassier said.

“We are holding these meetings to outline our work in the coming
months and weeks.”

The co-chair said that a joint meeting of the MG co-chairs with the
Azeri and Armenian ministers will be held in mid-June and the two
have already provided their consent for this.

The intermediaries will hold talks in Baku and Yerevan again in July,
and visit the conflict zone.

Fassier emphasized that the parties are not discussing a specific
document. The talks are focusing on the withdrawal of Armenian
troops from the districts around Upper Garabagh and the status of the
region. The co-chair declined to comment on whether or not the parties
have reached pivotal agreements on these issues but said that they
‘have already started working on details’.

The co-chair also said that the parties realize the need for re-opening
Armenia’s borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey.

Fassier said that the co-chairs’ meeting with President Aliyev,
which was not originally scheduled, took place on the initiative of
the Azerbaijani President. The gist of the meeting was not disclosed.

‘Support’ The international community supports settlement of the
Upper Garabagh conflict within Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity,
Fassier said.

“No country has de-facto recognized the independence of Upper Garabagh
and it should be that way”, the French co-chair said in a meeting
with Azeri Defense Minister Safar Abiyev on Thursday.

“I have seen the occupied Azerbaijani land firsthand and became
convinced that we need to find a way out of this soon.”

Minister Abiyev said peace talks that have lasted for over 10 years
yielded no results so far. If the negotiations turn out fruitless,
Azerbaijan will be compelled ‘to resort to other means to liberate
its territories from under occupation’, he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azerbaijan says Russian arms transfer to Armenia to cause tension

Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
1 Jun 05

[Presenter] That one of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia,
transfers weapons from its bases in Georgia to Armenia, the aggressor
country, has a negative impact on the peaceful settlement of the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict. In the view of the [Azerbaijani] Defence
Ministry, this process will make the military and political situation
tense not only in the region, but in the world as a whole. The USA
have a similar position.

[Correspondent over video of the radar station, Russian troops in
Georgia] The Baku government may review the agreement on leasing
the Qabala radar station to Russia as a result of the redeployment
of the Russian military bases from Georgia to Armenia. Russian news
agencies report this. Quoting a source in the Azerbaijani government,
they say that the Azerbaijani authorities will soon demand that Moscow
close down the radar station.

We want to build relations of friendship and cooperation with
Russia. However, the recent steps taken by Moscow make us think once
again. It appears to us that Russia is deliberately heightening the
tension in relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the source said.

A member of the US Senate has made a similar statement. Russia’s
reinforcing its bases in Armenia poses a serious threat to the region,
a visiting US senator and member of the Foreign Relations Committee
of the Senate, Chuck Hagel, has said.

[Hagel, captioned, speaking at a press conference with Azeri
voice-over] It is good news that Russia has agreed to withdraw its
bases from Georgia. I congratulate Russia and Georgia on reaching this
agreement. However, it would cause a lot of concern if the weapons
and equipment are to be redeployed from Georgia to Armenia.

Azerbaijan and Armenia are independent countries and there should
be no foreign forces on their territories. This step is especially
dangerous for the region.

Yet, I see this as a positive step [as heard]. I hope that the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict will be resolved and the settlement of this issue
requires Russian assistance.

[Correspondent] The first train with Russian weapons and equipment
headed from its military base in Batumi to Armenia yesterday [31
June]. The 15 carriages of the train delivered the arms to the military
base in Gyumri [Armenia].

[Passage omitted: The number of the Russian troops in Georgia]

Head of Russian arms exporter praises cooperation with Belarus

Zvyazda, Minsk
26 May 05

Military cooperation between Belarus and Russia is proceeding
apace, the director-general of Russia’s Rosoboroneksport federal
state unitary company, Sergey Chemezov, has said in an interview
with a Belarusian state daily. He gave examples of beneficial
collaboration in arms trade and urged all CIS arms exporters to
forge a single pricing policy in external markets. He said that the
legal framework governing cooperation between Belarusian and Russian
defence companies was adequate. The following is an excerpt from the
interview with Chemezov by Alyaksandr Komlew entitled “Whose armaments
are better?” and published in the Belarusian daily Zvyazda on 26 May:

[Komlew] What defines military cooperation in the post-Soviet space?

[Chemezov] Russia has signed bilateral military cooperation agreements
with Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan,
Turkmenistan, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Military cooperation with each
of these nations has country-specific features.

[Passage omitted: Chemezov outlines cooperation with CIS countries]

[Chemezov] Experts have long calculated that involvement in joint
military projects implemented by three or four countries allows the
participants to reduce their costs by 41-50 per cent. As about 500
Russian defence companies cooperate with more than 1,200 enterprises
throughout the CIS, this interaction spurs the economic development of
host nations. It is common knowledge that 103 companies from Russia,
Armenia, Belarus and Ukraine are involved in the manufacture of the
S-300 missile complex.

[Passage omitted: Chemezov says that the disintegration of the Soviet
Union has negatively affected Russia’s military-industrial complex]

[Komlew] What countries are at the forefront of integration?

[Chemezov] Cooperation between Russia and Belarus could be held up
as an example in this respect. The Belarusian-Russian interaction,
which has been accelerating since the late 1990s, translates into an
increasing share of jointly developed weaponry in the Russian arms
exports. Some estimates put it at 30-35 per cent. Another reason behind
this trend is the fact that about a third of all manufacturing and
research facilities is concentrated in Belarus. Also, the leaderships
of both countries are keen on furthering integration.

[Komlew] Did a rupture of ties between defence companies in the wake
of the Soviet Union’s implosion affect arms exports?

[Chemezov] Some companies are still involved in dumping. On the
whole the potential for unbridled competition between CIS weaponry
manufacturers has been exhausted. It is high time to join forces in
the development and sales of weaponry. A single pricing policy is of
utmost importance. If all arms exporters stick to the same prices,
their revenues will jump 10-14 per cent. We are talking about millions
of dollars. Mutual supply contracts promote cooperation between Russia
and Belarus. Agreements for license, duty and quota-free shipments of
more than 600 types of inputs manufactured by 59 Belarusian companies
for 68 defence enterprises in Russia were concluded last year. About
500 types of inputs of Russian manufacture are shipped to 33 Belarusian
defence companies under similar contacts. To a great extent, Russian
and Belarusian arms exporters act in concert.

[Komlew] How would you define the legal framework governing
military-technical cooperation between Russia and Belarus?

[Chemezov] It is fairly efficient. Belarus and Russia have been
cooperating in the military realm since July 1992. Since then several
intergovernmental agreements have been signed. The agreement between
the governments of Russia and Belarus on safeguarding intellectual
property either developed or used in the course of military-technical
cooperation signified another step forward. The parties to this
agreement undertake not to supply third parties with jointly developed
military hardware without the consent of the other party. A similar
agreement was signed between Russia and Kazakhstan early this year.

[Komlew] What role do interstate financial-industrial groups play in
the CIS markets?

[Chemezov] They play an immensely important role in creating a
single technological space both within the framework of the union
state [of Russia and Belarus] and the CIS as a whole. Several
Russian-Belarusian financial-industrial groups exist in the union
state, namely, Oboronitelnyye Sistemy [Defence Systems], BelRusAuto,
Electronic Technologies, etc. The possible involvement of Ukrainian
companies in Oboronitelnyye Sistemy is currently being considered.

[Komlew] What areas are most promising in the Belarusian-Russian
military cooperation?

[Chemezov] The overhaul and modernization of military hardware,
including Su-22, Su-27, MiG-29 planes, Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters,
BMP-1 and BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles, BTR-60 and BTR-70
armoured personnel carriers, S-300B anti-aircraft systems, as well
as communication equipment, hold the greatest promise. Specifically,
more than 100 Belarusian companies are involved in modernization of
Soviet-made weaponry. A Russian-Belarusian centre for servicing,
modernization and repairs of air defence equipment set up by
Oboronpromservice holds a great deal of promise. This interstate
body will make sure that air defence hardware stationed in Belarus,
Kaliningrad Region and the northwest of Russia is properly
serviced. We also pursue a number of international projects. For
example, Rosoboroneksport, [Belarusian state weaponry exporter]
Beltekhekspart and [Belarusian optical instrument maker] Pelenh along
with France’s Thales are taking part in a tender for a contract to
supply India with a fire control system for T-72M1 tanks. The fire
control system is based on the Belarusian-made Sosna-U daylight and
night multichannel heat imaging sight.

[Passage omitted: Chemezov praises the MILEX defence industry show
in Minsk]

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri authorities ban sale of papers in Baku city centre

Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
1 Jun 05

[Presenter] Baku’s Trade and Service Department has given international
organizations fresh ammunition to criticize Azerbaijan. Following
Baku metro chief Tagi Ahmadov’s example, the department has imposed
a ban on the sale of newspapers in Fountain Square [Baku city centre].

[Correspondent over video of Baku] The Trade and Service Department
has imposed a ban on the sale of newspapers and magazines in Fountain
Square and Nizami Street. Saying that over 200 people have lost their
jobs following this decision, entrepreneurs complained that employees
of the department do not produce any documents while removing the
newsstands.

[Racab Cafarov, entrepreneur] Everything else is allowed, for example,
ice-cream vendors still have licences. But the situation is difficult
when it comes to the papers. The papers are sold in the streets in
all civilized countries. We have been selling papers in these streets
for many years.

[Ibad Manafov, entrepreneur] I do not understand why only newspapers
cannot be sold in the streets. We have been selling papers to people
and paying taxes for many years. We are legal entities that pay
taxes in a simplified way. We do not understand it. I want to ask if
the department is engaged in racketeering since its employees come,
insult and beat up people and impound their items without introducing
themselves.

[Arif Asgarov, entrepreneur] My press distributing firm has been
operating in Baku for 10 years now. We have been paying taxes in time
throughout this period. We sell the best Azerbaijani magazines and
papers from Moscow and they sell very well. Most of the vendors here
are veterans of the Afghanistan war, the Karabakh war and members of
martyrs’ families.

[Correspondent] The entrepreneurs said that they had lost more than
10bn manats because of the department’s unlawful acts and use of
force while removing the newsstands.

The department’s response was brief – the department chief has issued
an instruction that no information should be given to ATV in this
regard, end quote.

Qalib Sukurov and Arif Mammadov, “Son Xabar”.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri ministry reports on FBI cooperation in probing outspoken editor’s murder

Xalq Qazeti, Baku
2 Jun 05

Text of unattributed report by Azerbaijani newspaper Xalq Qazeti
on 2 June headlined “From the National Security Ministry and the
Prosecutor-General’s Office of the Azerbaijani Republic”

Investigation and operative search continues into the criminal
case overseen by the National Security Ministry – the murder of
the editor-in-chief of Monitor magazine, Elmar Huseynov Sabit oglu,
who was killed with a firearm.

All the incoming reports are being meticulously and comprehensively
analysed, working hypotheses are being prepared, and the discovered
material evidence and objects are being examined.

As reported earlier, a knitted hat was found during a search in
the areas close to the scene of the crime. It was submitted to a
representative of the Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] of the
USA, (?Brian Paarman), for forensic and biological examination on 8
March 2005.

An FBI agent, (?Mark Kirby), presented to the investigation team the
preliminary results of the examination of the hat on 30 March 2005. He
also presented a model of the stairway and of the entrance to the
building where Elmar Huseynov lived which makes it possible to picture
the scene of the crime. The results said that the evidence examination
department of the Federal Bureau of Investigation had studied the hat
and found hair which belong to a person of Caucasian origin, as well
as textile threads of various type and colour. The material evidence
has been deemed fit for a comparative examination. Once the person
who may have worn this hat while committing the crime is arrested,
appropriate comparative examination will be held. In addition, studies
continue to identify the killer on the basis of the material evidence
and a DNA analysis.

During a meeting with (?Mark Kirby), the investigation team submitted
to him pillowcases found in an apartment which the suspects had rented
and hair-like fibres found on these pillowcases, as well as samples
of hair of other three people who are thought to have been connected
with the killing.

Intensive investigative work continues to study circumstances and
emerging details of the case, and to unmask and detain all the
participants in the crime. Additional information on the course of
the investigation will be imparted to the public.

Azerbaijan may reconsider Russia’s radar station lease

Baku, June 1, AssA-Irada

Azerbaijan may reconsider the agreement it previously signed with
Russia on leasing the Gabala district radar station to this country
due to the recent transfer of Russian arms from Georgian bases to
Armenia, Russian media reported quoting a source from the Azerbaijani
government.

Baku is expected to demand that Russia close down the station in the
coming days, according to the reports.

“We intend to forge friendly ties and cooperation with Russia,
but Moscow’s latest actions prompt us to examine this. It appears
that Russia is deliberately causing tensions between Azerbaijan and
Armenia”, the report said.

A train loaded with Russian weaponry was dispatched to Armenia from
Batumi, Georgia on Tuesday.*

Georgia wants to join Iran-Armenia gas pipeline – premier

Mediamax news agency
2 Jun 05

Yerevan, 2 June: Georgia reiterates its interest in being involved
in the construction of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline.

Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli said this at the meeting
with his Armenian counterpart Andranik Markaryan in Tbilisi on 1 June,
the press service of the Armenian government has told Mediamax.

Markaryan said in reply that the first phase of the project is
being implemented now, but “the Armenian side does not rule out the
possibility of discussing this issue with Georgia in the future.”

To recap, Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli arrived in Armenia
on an unscheduled visit on 11-12 March 2005. He said following the
visit that the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline had been one of the main
subjects of talks.

“We are certainly want that the gas pipeline from Iran to Armenia to
be used to import gas to Georgia. It will be a profitable project
for Armenia. If Georgia is a transit country for Armenia today,
then Armenia will become a transit state for Georgia,” Noghaideli
said during his visit in March.

“The Georgian side raised the issue that Armenia become a transit
country for gas supplies from Iran to Ukraine through Armenia and
Georgia. We have heard this desire and will discuss it in the future,”
Markaryan said in reply.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Saakashvili promotes multiethnic Georgia on visit to patriotic youth camp

Imedi TV, Tbilisi
2 Jun 05

[Presenter] The Georgian president, together with the
catholicos-patriarch of all Georgia, is currently visiting the Bazaleti
youth camp [north of Tbilisi]. As well as [ethnic] Georgian children,
67 ethnic Armenian youths from Ninotsminda and Akhalkalaki are on
holiday at Bazaleti.

Mikheil Saakashvili addressed the Georgian and Armenian youths in
Georgian and Russian.

[Passage omitted: the patriarch presented a book to the camp and
invited children to write an essay entitled “One God, one motherland”]

The president and the patriarch posed for photographs together with
the children.

The president was wearing the camp uniform [blue-and-orange uniform
and a blue baseball cap, with the Georgian flag and the word “patriot”
inscribed on them]. [Passage omitted]

[Saakashvili, recording starts in mid-sentence] – that exists in these
camps is a feeling of pride in our country. Our motherland is the sum
of all its citizens. It belongs equally to everyone living in Georgia,
irrespective of their ethnic origin – Georgians, Armenians, Ossetians,
Azerbaijanis, Abkhaz, Russians and everyone else who considers Georgia
their motherland, who believe that they will spend the rest of their
lives here, on the land where they were born, and who are ready to
defend this land and contribute to its development.

I hope that you will learn a lot here and make friends with each
other. I hope that you will be able to do it. The programme is
very busy. I know that you have very good group leaders and many
interesting activities are being planned, such as finding your way
through the mountains and forest without a compass, swimming lessons,
rowing and, naturally, a lot of active recreation. There will be
television sets in every tent. These are presidential camps and I
am watching what is happening here very closely, so that you have
the best possible conditions, there is order and discipline, and you
enjoy your stay here.

[switches to Russian] I would like to greet all of you again and
repeat that Georgia is a multiethnic country. All our citizens –
we are equally proud of each of you.

Paper speculates about goals of US general’s visit to Azerbaijan

Ayna, Baku
2 Jun 05

Excerpt from report by Casur in Azerbaijani newspaper Ayna on 2 June
headlined “Charles Wald again inspected Azerbaijan”

The deputy commander of the United States European Command, Charles
Wald, started a visit to Azerbaijan yesterday. US Senator Chuck
Hagel and other politicians are also visiting the country. Following
Azerbaijan, they will visit Turkey, Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine.

The Nagornyy Karabakh conflict was a priority at the meeting between a
delegation led by Wald and Azerbaijani Speaker Murtuz Alasgarov. The
speaker said that resolutions adopted by international organizations
and the UN had not been implemented.

“Even though international organizations denounced the aggressor
[Armenia], no sanctions have been imposed against Armenia,” Alasgarov
said and asked the USA as a country co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group to
mediate a speedy solution to the conflict. Gen Wald expressed the hope
that the conflict would be resolved in the near future. Representatives
of the US European Command also expressed their satisfaction with the
Azerbaijani peacekeepers’ activities in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq.

The guests then met Azerbaijani Defence Minister Safar Abiyev. The
meeting was also attended by US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
James McDougal.

The minister recalled at the meeting that Azerbaijan was continuing
its cooperation with the USA in the economic, political and military
spheres. The minister briefed the guests on the current military
and political situation in the South Caucasus and said that Armenia
was conducting aggressive policy in the region, the ministry’s press
service reported.

“We want a peaceful solution to the conflict. Therefore, aggressor
Armenia should be urged to withdraw its forces from Azerbaijan. Let
them not prompt us to resort to other methods. We trust our forces,”
the minister said and expressed the Azerbaijani people’s concern over
the fact that Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act [bans direct US
aid to the Azerbaijani government] had not yet been repealed.

Wald expressed support for a peaceful and negotiated solution to the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.

[Passage omitted: guests were received by President Ilham Aliyev]

Wald’s name is often mentioned in reports concerning the plans to
deploy US rapid-reaction forces in Azerbaijan. Wald visited Azerbaijan
two months ago previous time. At the time his visit was linked to
the deployment of the US mobile forces in Azerbaijan in view of the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline’s security and to the search for an
optimum way of resolving the problem of the Qabala radar station.

The Defence Ministry has denied these issues were discussed at the
meetings.

“The meeting between Charles Wald and the minister did not focus on
the deployment of US military bases in Azerbaijan,” the head of the
Defence Ministry press service, Ramiz Malikov, told Ayna.

Military expert Uzeyir Cafarov did not rule out that the stationing of
rapid-reaction forces in Azerbaijan had been discussed at the meeting.

“The time of preparing Azerbaijan for certain decisions has already
passed. We have reached a point where we should show a political will
and make political decisions,” Cafarov said.

He thinks that the visit of the US delegation is aimed at clarifying
Azerbaijan’s final position.

“I think that Baku will express openly its readiness to cooperate with
Washington in all issues. Otherwise, the USA’s military and political
attitude toward Azerbaijan might change,” Cafarov said and added that
Azerbaijan had to fulfil its commitments concerning its integration
into NATO.

“If we have chosen this path, then we have to fulfil the requirements
of integration into NATO like our commitments to the Council of
Europe,” he said.

Experts believe that the USA wants Azerbaijan to weaken its ties
with Russia. Cafarov said that Azerbaijan’s intensive cooperation
with the USA and NATO might help the country live through difficult
times without losses. Wald also thinks so.