La Padanian, Italia
mercoledì 15 dicembre 2004
I ragazzi della Lega nel cortile dell’Europarlamento a Strasburgo:
l’Ue cerca invano di fermare la protesta
No alla Turchia, il grido dei giovani padani

IGOR IEZZI
STRASBURGO – I Turchi possono entrare in Europa, ma i Giovani Padani
non possono manifestare nel cortile dell’Europarlamamento a
Strasburgo; altrimenti spintoni, urla e manifesti strappati: l’Unione
europea, un moloch di burocrazia e inefficienza al soldo della
massoneria internazionale e dei poteri forti, ha cercato, invano, di
fermare la protesta del movimento Giovani Padani.
Inutilmente, perché le nuove leve della Lega Nord hanno comunque
portato la voce del popolo padano alle orecchie dei `potenti’ della
Ue che vogliono minare radicalmente il vecchio continente,
permettendo l’ingresso di un esercito di nemici islamici, 80 milioni
di mussulmani con un’età media di 27 anni.
Nella mattinata di ieri, circa un centinaio di aderenti al movimento
Giovani Padani e al Movimento universitario padano, ha sonoramente
bussato alle porte del Parlamento Europeo. Al grido di `no alla
Turchia in Europa’, il Mgp ha sventolato bandiere e issato i
cartelloni insieme ai ragazzi del Vlaams Belang, l’ex Vlaams Blok, e
dell’Alsace d’abord nonostante il freddo polare, 0 gradi, e la neve.
Sebbene la polizia francese avesse autorizzato il presidio nel
cortile dell’Europarlamento, la security della struttura ha impedito
l’ingresso dei giovani padani (purtroppo questi figuri non governano
il moloch continentale, altrimenti poveri turchi…) adducendo come
scusa ciò che successe due anni fa dopo un’analoga protesta sempre
dell’Mgp.
Allora un’europarlamentare diessina provocò i giovani padani, oggi la
security é intervenuta in anticipo, ferendo in maniera forse
irreparabile la democrazia.
«Un sintomo di quanto sia pericolosa e autoritaria l’Europa» ha
osservato l’europarlamentare della Lega Nord Matteo Salvini.
L’iniziativa è stata portata avanti comunque, compresa la preghiera e
la benedizione di Don Ugo alle storiche bandiere europee, quella di
Lepanto, il Sole delle Alpi e il cuore vandeano.
«Non vogliamo l’ingresso della Turchia ma il ritorno di Cristo – ha
detto Don Ugo -. Non tutta la Chiesa é caduta su posizioni
filoislamiche, cattocomuniste e progressiste. Che la Madonna ci aiuti
a schiacciare l’islamismo, speriamo che questa preghiera possa essere
ancora recitata all’ombra del campanile e non sia cancellata
dall’ombra del minareto».
Ma i servi delle lobbyes non potevano farla passare liscia ai giovani
padani. Così all’uscita dal cortile del Parlamento, i custodi del
potere hanno usato la forza, colpendo due giovani di Varese, tra cui
una ragazza. Ma era troppo tardi, la missione dei giovani padani era
stata ormai compiuta.
`Turkije is niet europees’ era lo striscione dei giovani fiamminghi,
`Turchia in Europa? No, grazie’ i cartelli dei giovani padani.
«La Padania é figlia di chi ha combattuto contro i Turchi – ha detto
Paolo Grimoldi, coordinatore federale dei giovani padani -. Non
possiamo permettere che il Paese islamico entri impunemente in
Europa. Sono estranei al nostro continente e anche se riconoscessero
il genocidio Armeno e Cipro del Nord, lo rimarrebbero: non erano, non
sono e non saranno mai europei. La Turchia è di quanto più lontano
esista dalla civiltà europea».
Un concetto ribadito da Francesco Enrico Speroni che ha spiegato come
l’unica possibilità per un maggior legame con la Turchia sia un
accordo economico. «L’Europa deve essere un’unione politica non una
società, – ha affermato Speroni – non basta pagare la quota per
entrarvi». Poi, lo stesso Speroni, ha annunciato che «domenica,
Umberto Bossi, nella sua veste di europarlamentare ha firmato la
richiesta di voto segreto sulla relazione della Turchia» «Tengono
fuori la Padania e fanno entrare i mussulmani» ha ribadito Maurizio
Parma, consigliere regionale emiliano del Carroccio presente durante
la manifestazione. «La Turchia non può entrare in Europa – ha
concluso Philip Clayes, europarlamentare fiammingo, al presidio
insieme a Frank Vanhecke, presidente del Vlaams Belang e a Spieler,
presidente degli alsaziani – , questo Paese non c’entra nulla con noi
né culturalmente né geograficamente. E non dimentichiamo le ragioni
economiche che ci spingono a contrastare una simile decisione: la
Turchia ci costerebbe 28 miliardi di euro all’anno, più di tutti i
paesi dell’Est messi insieme».

Xinhua News Agency – Spanish
15 Dic. 2004
Francia: Genocidio Armenia no condiciona conversaciones UE sobre
Turquía
PARIS
El ministro de Relaciones Exteriores francés, Michel Barnier, declaró
hoy al canal de la televisión estatal Francia 2, que el
reconocimiento de las acusaciones del genocidio turco contra los
armenios no condiciona el lanzamiento de las negociaciones sobre el
ingreso de Turquía a la Unión Europea (UE).
“Francia no pone como condición de peso dicho hecho para el inicio de
las negociaciones”, aseveró Barnier.
El reconocimiento de Turquía del genocidio del pueblo armenio
(aproximadamente un millón 500 mil personas murieron entre 1915 y
1917 bajo el Imperio Otomano) “era una interrogante, una interrogante
que traeríamos a colación en el curso de las conversaciones, y
tenemos unos 10 años para hacerla”, añadió el canciller.
Los Jefes de Estado y de gobierno de la Unión Europea decidirán a
finales de esta semana en la Cumbre de Bruselas si dan luz verde al
diálogo sobre la incorporación de Turquía.
“El proyecto europeo se basa en la reconciliación, lo que hicimos
nosotros, los pueblos galos y germanos, construir esta nueva Europa
sobre la base de la reconciliación… Por lo tanto, se pueden
reconciliar con sus enemigos de guerra, tienen que llegar a un
acuerdo con ustedes mismos, con su historia”, concluyó Barnier.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azerbaijan, UK sign joint communique to improve ties
Turan news agency
15 Dec 04
Baku, 15 December: A joint communique has been signed on the results
of [Azerbaijani President] Ilham Aliyev’s visit to London on 13-14
December, the British embassy in Azerbaijan has said.
The document reads that during Ilham Aliyev’s meeting with Prime
Minister Tony Blair on 14 December, the sides expressed support for
the further strengthening of bilateral relations, the development of
Azerbaijan’s market economy and multiparty democracy based on the
supremacy of the law and the protection of human rights and freedoms.
Blair hailed Aliyev’s “determination” to carry out political and
democratic reforms in order to support the aforesaid goals by taking
into consideration the OSCE and the Council of Europe’s
recommendations.
Blair reiterated his country’s support for Azerbaijan’s independence,
sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Aliyev talked about a programme of measures aimed at improving
[Azerbaijan’s] business environment and supporting local and foreign
private investors, including those in the oil sector. The measures
also include the fight against corruption, reforms in the financial
system, improvements in the professionalism and independence of the
judiciary.
The sides agreed to continue military cooperation and train
Azerbaijani troops for participation in international missions,
dispatch British troops to Afghanistan and vice-versa via Azerbaijani
territory.
During the talks held in an expanded format, the sides supported
Azerbaijan’s rapprochement with the European Union with the aim of
carrying out reforms and expressed their readiness to help the South
Caucasus region re-establish peace, stability and good-neighbourly
relations.
They also agreed to continue joint efforts to find a peaceful and
standing solution to the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict. The sides
expressed support for the OSCE Minsk Group’s efforts in this direction
and noted the important contribution of the Caspian region to global
energy security. They acknowledged the importance of making effective
use of oil incomes for long-term development, reiterated their
readiness to continue joint efforts in the fight against terrorism and
hailed the development of Azerbaijan’s relations with NATO.
The sides confirmed the important role of NGOs in the development of
democracy, accountability, human rights, human values and
inter-community relations. They agreed to improve cultural
cooperation and opportunities for Azerbaijani students to study in the
UK.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

IRNA, Iran
Dec 15 2004
EP calls on EU to begin membership
The European Parliament said Wednesday that the European Union should
begin accession negotiations with Turkey “without undue delay”.
MEPs adopted a resolution during a plenary debate in Strasbourg
saying that Turkey has made “impressive progress” in respecting the
political criteria, enough for negotiations on EU membership to
start..
The resolution was adopted by 407 votes in favour, 262 against and 29
abstentions in a secret ballot.
The EP is the only elected institution in the EU, but its resolution
on Turkey is not binding .
The EP resolution will be given to EU leaders meeting in Brussels
Friday to discuss Turkey`s bid to join the European bloc.
However, the EP acknowledged that problems continue to exist, such as
regarding minority rights, religious freedoms, trade union rights,
women`s rights, the role of the army, Cyprus and the relations with
Armenia.
Therefore it stressed that, in the first phase of negotiations,
priority should be given to the full application of the political
criteria.
In case of serious breaches of the political criteria, negotiations
must be suspended, said the resolution.
MEPs also underlined that starting negotiations will not
automatically result in Turkey`s accession and that appropriate ways
will have to be found “to ensure that Turkey remains fully anchored
in European structures”, should negotiations not be successfully
concluded.

Le Monde
15 décembre 2004
L’Europe est prête à ouvrir ses portes à la Turquie ;
Plus aucun obstacle ne s’oppose à l’ouverture des négociations
d’adhésion avec Ankara que devront décider, lors d’un sommet à
Bruxelles, jeudi et vendredi, les dirigeants des 25 pays membres de
l’Union. La France, qui a prévu un référendum, réclame toutefois que
l’issue ne soit pas garantie
Arnaud Leparmentier
BRUXELLES de notre bureau européen
Le SOMMET de l’Union européenne, convoqué jeudi et vendredi à
Bruxelles, devrait décider l’ouverture de négociations d’adhésion
avec la Turquie en 2005. L’intégration de la Turquie n’est pas
envisagée avant la fin de la prochaine PROGRAMMATION financière
2007-2013. Les négociations se dérouleront selon un processus destiné
à garantir à chaque étape que les règles de l’Union soient
effectivement mises en oeuvre, ce qui n’a pas été le cas dans les
élargissements antérieurs. A la demande principalement de la FRANCE
et de l’ AUTRICHE, une formulation de compromis doit encore être
trouvée afin que l’issue du processus reste ouverte. Lundi, à
Bruxelles, MICHEL BARNIER a également demandé à Ankara, sans en faire
un préalable à l’ouverture des négociations, de reconnaître le
génocide arménien.
Sauf coup de thétre, les chefs d’Etat et de gouvernement européens,
réunis jeudi et vendredi 17 décembre à Bruxelles, décideront d’ouvrir
des négociations d’adhésion avec la Turquie. A deux jours de leur
conseil, le dossier est largement décanté. La bataille ne devrait
porter que sur des détails, certes importants ou affectifs, mais
mineurs au regard de l’enjeu.
« Les Turcs nous ennuient en prétendant qu’ils n’auront pas ce qu’ils
demandent. Ils auront l’ouverture des négociations et une date »,
rappelle un ambassadeur. En dépit des réticences de certaines
populations européennes, en particulier des Français, tous les
dirigeants veulent aller de l’avant. Le plus réticent, le chancelier
autrichien Wolfgang Schüssel, défenseur du « partenariat privilégié »
plutôt que d’une adhésion pleine et entière, ne brandit aucune menace
de veto.
Suivant les recommandations de la Commission, qui a considéré fin
octobre que la Turquie respectait « suffisamment » les critères
démocratiques dits de Copenhague, les « 25 » vont fixer jeudi soir au
cours d’un dîner la date d’ouverture des négociations. L’idée d’avoir
un nouveau rendez-vous courant 2005, pour vérifier une dernière fois
que la Turquie reste sur la voie des réformes, a été abandonnée. Elle
aurait contribué à éterniser le débat sur une adhésion peu populaire
et créé une crise avec Ankara.
Les Européens avaient précisé en 2002 à Copenhague que les
négociations s’ouvriraient « sans délai » après le sommet du 17
décembre. Mais Jacques Chirac veut gagner du temps, pour que ce début
de négociations intervienne le plus tard possible après le référendum
français sur la Constitution, histoire d’éviter que les deux débats
ne se télescopent. Le contretemps devrait être bref. Après avoir
réclamé une ouverture fin 2005-début 2006, Michel Barnier ne parlait
plus, lundi à Bruxelles, où avait lieu une réunion préparatoire des
ministres des affaires étrangères, que d’une ouverture « au plus tôt
au deuxième semestre 2005 ». Les pourparlers s’ouvriraient donc sous
la présidence du Royaume-Uni, grand partisan de l’adhésion turque, ce
qui est aussi le voeu du chancelier allemand Gerhard Schröder.
Le deuxième sujet litigieux porte sur le caractère des négociations,
dont il est précisé que leur issue est « ouverte ». Il s’agit là de
sauver la face des Turcs, qui ne veulent rien envisager d’autre que
l’adhésion, mais aussi des Français et des Autrichiens, favorables à
l’évocation d’une troisième voie en cas d’échec des négociations. Les
diplomates sont à la recherche d’une formule de compromis,
volontairement vague, stipulant que la Turquie restera quoi qu’il
arrive ancrée à l’Europe. Mais il n’est pas question d’expliciter un
quelconque statut spécial, partenariat privilégié ou scénario
alternatif. Ce serait humilier le gouvernement turc, qui a averti
qu’il le refuserait ; et c’est inacceptable pour le chancelier
Schröder, parce que cela ferait le jeu de son opposition
chrétienne-démocrate.
Malgré une mobilisation intense de la diaspora arménienne, la
dernière réticence française, le génocide arménien, ne devrait pas
non plus être une pierre d’achoppement. Certes, Michel Barnier a
demandé sa reconnaissance par Ankara : « Je pense qu’un grand pays
comme la Turquie doit faire son devoir de mémoire », a déclaré à
Bruxelles le ministre français qui, en invoquant la réconciliation
franco-allemande, a estimé que la Turquie, qui nie le génocide
arménien, devait également faire la paix avec ses voisins. Mais
Michel Barnier n’en a nullement fait une condition préalable à
l’ouverture des négociations d’adhésion.
Reste Chypre, dont le Nord est occupé par les Turcs et dont le
gouvernement chypriote grec n’est pas reconnu par Ankara. Mais nul ne
croit à un veto des Chypriotes grecs. A Bruxelles, leur ministre des
affaires étrangères, George Iacovou, a déclaré souhaiter que la
Turquie manifeste sa volonté de normaliser ses relations avec Nicosie
avant le sommet européen de mars 2005, ce qui équivaut, selon les
exégètes, à renoncer à en faire un préalable à l’ouverture des
négociations le 17 décembre.
Les Chypriotes grecs sont isolés en Europe, depuis que, contrairement
aux Chypriotes turcs, ils ont rejeté par référendum au printemps le
plan de réunification de l’île sous l’égide des Nations unies et
qu’ils bloquent un projet visant à aider économiquement le nord de
l’île. Le soutien de la Grèce va faiblissant, ce pays ayant obtenu
dans le projet de conclusions finales les garanties nécessaires pour
le règlement de ses conflits frontaliers avec la Turquie et ayant
fait de son rapprochement avec Ankara un axe stratégique de sa
politique.
D’autres réticences ont, elles aussi, été levées. Les Danois, qui
craignent une arrivée massive d’immigrés turcs en vertu de la libre
circulation des personnes, ont obtenu que l’on évoque de possibles
clauses de sauvegarde permanentes. Les Britanniques, qui tentaient de
s’opposer à ces clauses, disant qu’elles empêchaient une pleine
adhésion turque, ont eu droit aux sourires narquois de leurs
collègues continentaux, qui leur ont rappelé le nombre de clauses
d’exemption dont bénéficie l’Albion. Dans ce contexte, les diplomates
tablent sur un accord au Conseil européen de Bruxelles.

Schweizerische Depeschenagentur AG (SDA)
SDA – Servizio di base in Italiano
mercoledì 15 dicembre 2004
UE: Turchia; Chirac, sforzo memoria su genocidio armeno
PARIGI, 15 dic
Jacques Chirac ha chiesto alla Turchia di fare “uno sforzo di
memoria” in relazione al genocidio degli armeni, nel 1915, che in
Francia e’ stato riconosciuto come tale da una legge. Senza porre la
questione esplicitamente come una condizione per l’adesione della
Turchia all’Unione, Chirac, parlando stasera a TF1, ha insistito
sugli “sforzi di riconciliazione e di pace” che hanno “costellato” la
storia europea. Questo sforzo “deve essere fatto dalla Turchia e,
sono certo, lo fara'”, ha aggiunto.

Associated Press Worldstream
December 15, 2004 Wednesday
European chief says now is ‘the moment’ to start membership talks
with Turkey
EMMANUEL GEORGES-PICOT; Associated Press Writer
The European Union should open membership talks with Turkey
immediately even though the mostly Muslim country has not yet met all
the requirements, the president of the European Commission said
Wednesday.
“In 10 years, Turkey won’t be the same Turkey as today … and
certain fears that exist today can be put aside,” Jose Manuel Barroso
told France-2 television station, speaking a day before EU leaders
were to meet in Brussels for an expected decision Friday on Turkey’s
bid.
“I believe this is the moment,” Barroso said, adding that Turkey has
made “an enormous effort to come join the European Union” and its
membership “would be very positive for Europe.”
The interview appeared aimed at persuading the French to go along
with EU membership talks for Turkey. The issue is highly divisive
here, and President Jacques Chirac was to address it in a TV
interview Wednesday night.
Chirac himself favors full membership for Turkey but has said that
this could take 10 to 15 years, while Prime Minister Jean-Pierre
Raffarin, a centrist, is skeptical.
A poll published in France on Monday in the daily Le Figaro showed
that 67 percent of those questioned opposed Turkish membership in the
EU. Chirac’s governing party, the Union for a Popular Movement,
favors a “privileged partnership” with Turkey – far short of being a
member of the EU.
Barroso dismissed the idea of giving Turkey a “privileged
partnership,” saying that such an arrangement is “not just” and
risked being seen by Turks as discriminatory.
He stressed that opening talks does not signify automatic membership,
although that is the goal.
“Turkey poses specific problems for us,” he said. The Turks “are not
yet in a position to become members.”
Turkey, with some 70 million people, “is a very big country, a
country which still has a considerable gap in development.”
Chirac planned to use his TV appearance Wednesday night to respond to
French concerns, an official of the presidential Elysee Palace said,
speaking on condition of anonymity.
The official said that Chirac will stress points he will be looking
for at the summit, such as the mention in the conclusion of a “strong
link” between the EU and Turkey if it appears during membership talks
that Ankara is unable to meet European demands.
France also wants the question of recognizing an alleged genocide
perpetrated by Turkey against Armenians nearly a century ago to be on
the table during negotiations, according to the official.
Turkey has been accused of killing as many as 1.5 million Armenians
during a 1915-1923 campaign to force them from eastern Turkey. Ankara
vehemently denies this.
Foreign Minister Michel Barnier has said France would not demand that
Turkey’s recognition of the “tragedy” in Armenia be a condition for
EU entry.
The European Parliament on Wednesday called on EU leaders to open
membership talks with Turkey “without undue delay.” However, it urged
Ankara to carry out more democratic reforms and moves toward
recognizing Cyprus and to acknowledge the genocide.

IRNA, Iran
December 15, 2004 Wednesday 6:16 PM EST
Armenians to demonstrate against Turkey`s bid
Tehran
Armenians from all over Europe are expected to gather in Brussels on
Friday to hold a protest demonstration against the integration of
Turkey into the European Union.
A spokesperson for the European Armenian Federation for Justice and
Democracy, the organizer of the event, told IRNA Wednesday that about
10,000 Armenians are expected to participate in the demonstration.
EU leaders are to decide in their summit in Brussels Thursday-Friday
if and when to begin entry negotiations with Turkey.
. “We think that without real pre-conditions Turkey must not be
allowed to begin talks on EU membership,” said the spokesperson.
“We want Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide,” she added.

Associated Press Worldstream
December 15, 2004 Wednesday 7:09 PM Eastern Time
Chirac tells a divided France that Turkey belongs in EU if it meets
membership conditions
WILLIAM J. KOLE; Associated Press Writer
President Jacques Chirac, beset by opposition to Turkey’s drive to
join the European Union, told a divided France that the mostly Muslim
country belongs in the EU – but that Paris will block negotiations if
Ankara fails to meet membership conditions.
“Does Europe, and particularly France, have an interest in Turkey
joining it? My answer is, ‘Yes, if,”‘ the French leader said
Wednesday in a nationally televised interview on the eve of an EU
summit that will decide whether to open membership talks with Ankara
next year.
“Yes, if Turkey totally meets the conditions we impose on any
candidate for our union,” Chirac said.
France reserves the right to block the negotiations if Turkey fails
to meet the criteria, and the French “will have the last word” on
admitting the country, he added in a nod to those who have doubts
about bringing in the Turks.
Chirac spoke in an interview with TF1 television recorded earlier in
the day at the presidential Elysee Palace and aired nationwide
Wednesday evening. EU leaders meeting in Brussels, Belgium, were
expected to decide on Thursday or Friday whether to launch membership
negotiations.
Chirac’s support for Turkey’s eventual membership has been met with
grave misgivings among ordinary citizens worried about an influx of
cheap labor to France, already stung by 10 percent unemployment. Many
here also question Turkey’s human rights record.
A poll published earlier this week by the newspaper Le Figaro
suggests two in three French oppose bringing Turkey into the
25-nation bloc. The Socialist Party is divided over the issue, and
Jean-Marie Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Front, insists
Turkey is a country that “cannot be European.”
“Only a rejection of the European constitution can save the French
from this trap,” Le Pen said Wednesday. “This willingness to
integrate an Asian and Muslim country, against the will of the
European people, illustrates the noxiousness of Brussels’ Europe.”
By throwing his support behind Turkey, Chirac also has broken ranks
with his own party, the conservative Union for a Popular Movement,
which favors a “privileged partnership” between the EU and Ankara
that would fall far short of membership.
Chirac rejected the idea in Wednesday’s interview.
“To ask a country like Turkey, a great country with a rich and long
history, to make a considerable effort to reach a risky or partial
result is not reasonable,” he said.
“We will take a very heavy responsibility for history if, faced with
a people who tell us, ‘We have adopted all your values, all your
rules, all your objectives,’ we tell them, ‘Ah, no thanks,”‘ Chirac
said.
Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission, also
dismissed the idea, calling it “unjust” and warning that Turkey
likely would see it as discriminatory.
Barroso told France-2 television the EU should open membership talks
with Turkey immediately, insisting “this is the moment,” while
conceding the country has not yet met all the requirements.
“In 10 years, Turkey won’t be the same Turkey as today … and
certain fears that exist today can be put aside,” he said.
Although Chirac favors full membership for Turkey, while conceding it
could take 10 to 15 years, a skeptical Prime Minister Jean-Pierre
Raffarin argues that the influence of Islam in Turkey would clash
with Judeo-Christian European values.
Confronting that argument head-on, Chirac contends that bringing the
nation of 70 million people into the EU is the best way to tamp down
Islamic extremism and eliminate what some Europeans see as a threat.
“After centuries of wars and horrors, we want to leave our children a
peaceful, stable region without war,” Chirac said, describing
Turkey’s accession as part of an EU effort “for peace and stability.”
France also wants the issue of the killing of Armenians in 1915-23 to
be on the table during membership negotiations, although Foreign
Minister Michel Barnier has said France will not demand official
recognition of the killings as a condition for entry.
The Turks have been accused of committing genocide in the killing of
as many as 1.5 million Armenians during a campaign to force them from
eastern Turkey. Ankara vehemently denies it and insists the figure is
greatly inflated.
On Wednesday, the European Parliament called on EU leaders to open
membership talks with Turkey “without undue delay.” However, it urged
Ankara to carry out more democratic reforms, move toward recognizing
Cyprus and acknowledge the Armenian killings.

Associated Press Worldstream
December 15, 2004 Wednesday
U.N. food program to halt food aid for Azeri refugees displaced by
war with Armenia
AIDA SULTANOVA; Associated Press Writer
BAKU, Azerbaijan
The World Food Program said Wednesday that it will halt food aid to
nearly 140,000 Azeri refugees displaced by the 1990s conflict with
Armenia over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh enclave by January if the
U.N. agency does not receive more assistance.
WFP country director Rahman Chowdhury said the agency had halved
rations for refugees last month in an effort to stretch food stocks.
The WFP faces a US$10 million ([euro]7.5 million) shortfall this
year, he said, in part due to higher retail prices and rising
gasoline and natural gas prices.
He said only the food aid for 5,300 primary children would continue,
though on a limited basis.
“Most of the displaced are so poor they don’t have the means to buy
food,” Chowdhury said in a statement. “It’s a dreadful situation,
especially in the winter.”
Refugee rights activists said the decision was horrible. Vugar
Gadirov, who heads an Azeri organization looking after the needs of
refugees, said the WFP decision would be a “humanitarian
catastrophe.”
“Ending the aid is a harsh blow for these people, many of whom live
in the very worst conditions in tent camps, camps that don’t have any
amenities for living,” Gadirov said.
Government officials declined to comment on the WFP decision.
Most of the displaced live in western regions of Azerbaijan, not far
from Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, which ethnic Armenian forces seized
after several years of war in the early 1990s.
A cease-fire was signed in 1994, after 30,000 people were killed and
about 1 million were left homeless.
No agreement has been reached on the territory’s final status, and
the two countries have tense relations.