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  • BAKU: Pundit Says Govm't, people should solve problems themselves

    Yeni Musavat, Baku in Azeri
    26 Jul 04 p 5

    Azeri pundit says government, people should solve problems themselves



    Azeri opposition analyst Elxan Mehdiyev has criticized the people for
    the current regime in the country. In an interview with Yeni Musavat
    newspaper, he blamed the government for the regress in relations with
    Turkey and NATO, the reluctance to integrate into NATO and the
    dependence on the USA and Russia which has isolated Turkey from the
    Karabakh resolution process. But he also added that NATO ignored
    Azerbaijan's Karabakh problem and regarded it as the problem of
    Armenia as well. The analyst urged the people and government to
    resolve its problems and not to demand that other countries and
    international organizations release the occupied lands. The following
    is an excerpt from an Elsad Pasasoy report by Azerbaijani newspaper
    Yeni Musavat on 26 July headlined "No one has the moral rights to
    blame Turkey", subheaded "Foreigners asked the Azerbaijani expert
    where Azerbaijan's oil dollars are being channelled", "Elxan
    Mehdiyev: 'Azerbaijan is not ahead of Armenia at all in relations
    with NATO'"; subheadings inserted editorially:

    The plight of Nagornyy Karabakh and other occupied districts
    continues to be a priority which the Azerbaijani public is concerned
    about. Our conversation with Elxan Mehdiyev, head of the centre for
    peace and conflict resolution [and aide to the opposition Musavat
    Party leader], was devoted to this problem. Elxan bay [form of
    address] attended the international conference on the new US policy
    and NATO's security policy in the Black Sea basin held in Bucharest
    last week.

    Mehdiyev delivered a speech on the military and security policy in
    the Caucasus at the conference attended by officers and military
    security experts from Europe, the Balkans and the US command in
    Europe. First, we asked Mehdiyev to tell us about the event.

    USA, Russia against Turkey's dominance in the Caucasus

    [Mehdiyev] At the conference, the main attention was devoted to the
    Nagornyy Karabakh problem during the discussion of conflicts in the
    Caucasus. I said in my speech that Turkey had been artificially
    sidelined from the co-chairmanship in the OSCE Minsk Group over this
    problem and that the interests of the USA and Russia coincided in
    this issue. Because Americans and Russians do not want Turkey to be a
    co-chair. Actually, Turkey is directly an integral part of this
    conflict and its interests in the resolution of the conflict are
    natural. No results were achieved to resolve the problem since Turkey
    had been artificially sidelined from the process.

    To recap, all sides to the conflict admitted a peace plan drawn up by
    Russia, Turkey and the USA in 1993 for the first time in the history
    of the conflict. However, the USA is not interested in Turkey's
    mediation. Washington is exerting pressure on Turkey to establish
    bilateral ties with Armenia and is trying to distance it from the
    Karabakh problem. Armenians also want to have relations with Turkey
    in a form in which the Nagornyy Karabakh problem is not taken into
    account. They want the problem of Nagornyy Karabakh and other
    occupied lands not to be a subject of Turkish-Armenian relations.
    It's clear to us that if Turkey establishes bilateral ties with
    Armenia then the Karabakh problem will be put on the back burner.

    An interesting situation has arisen. The USA and Russia are against
    Turkey's dominance in the Caucasus.

    By establishing full cooperation with the Caucasus countries through
    bilateral ties in the military and security spheres, the USA is
    making these countries dependent on it.

    Azerbaijan, NATO interests do not always coincide

    [Correspondent] How do you assess Azerbaijan's relations with NATO?
    Did you include this issue in your speech?

    [Mehdiyev] I think that our interests and NATO's do not coincide
    everywhere. Because the number one security issue for us is the
    liberation of Azerbaijani lands and the destruction of the Armenian
    armed forces which are deployed on this territory. But NATO is
    ignoring this issue. In addition, it is developing military
    cooperation with aggressor Armenia and Azerbaijan on the same level
    and describes the aggression as a problem between the two sides. This
    kind of approach to the problem's resolution strengthens aggressor
    Armenia's position and policy to occupy the lands in the region in a
    military way. Therefore, I said if NATO wanted realistic peace in the
    Caucasus, then it should have done the same in the Caucasus that it
    had done in Yugoslavia. However, I added that I was not so naive to
    believe that NATO would bomb Armenia and repeat the Yugoslav events
    there. But NATO should at least keep distance from relations with
    Armenia and lay down its conditions before this country. It does not
    do so. Moreover, it is trying to get Azerbaijan to develop military
    cooperation with Armenia. I said Azerbaijan regards such a position
    as immoral.

    The participants in the event think that it's Azerbaijan's problem
    that its lands have been occupied over a decade despite the fact that
    it has large human and natural resources and no-one should be blamed
    for this. I blame no-one as well. But I said peace could be achieved
    in the region soon if NATO adhered to a fair position on the problem.
    I do not blame international organizations for this like many people
    in Azerbaijan.

    They unequivocally asked where the oil dollars are being channelled
    and why small Armenia is keeping the lands of big Azerbaijan under
    occupation. As we know all these funds go into the pockets of clan
    members and the regime in Azerbaijan has no plan, wish or will to
    liberate the lands. The oil dollars would be useful when they are
    used for measures to liberate the occupied lands. The regime's
    representatives have their own problems. The latest statistics show
    that Armenia is developing more strongly through different ways and
    its economy has reached the highest growth in the CIS. Moreover,
    Armenia is modernizing its military forces. But Azerbaijan has not
    purchased a single tank over the latest seven or eight years as [late
    ex-President] Heydar Aliyev said last year.

    [Correspondent] Did you ask the participants in the conference what
    is the secret of an equal stance on Azerbaijan, which has taken the
    path of integrating into Europe and Armenia, and which is playing the
    role of Russia's puppet?

    Azerbaijan not trying to integrate into NATO

    [Mehdiyev] Azerbaijan is not actually trying to integrate into NATO
    and become a member of this organization. The owners of the regime
    have repeatedly stated this and NATO also knows this very well.
    Relations with NATO regressed after the dynastic regime was set up.
    Because Russia, which has great opportunities of influence on the
    dynastic regime, is against Azerbaijan's close military cooperation
    with the USA and NATO. Azerbaijan's attitude to NATO is indefinite.
    Azerbaijan has never resolutely expressed its position on this.
    Despite the fact that Heydar Aliyev expressed his position on this
    last year, the current regime's owner has given up this stance and
    said that the issue of NATO membership was not on the agenda. The
    Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry also issued an official statement on
    this.

    Cooperation which Azerbaijan and Armenia established with NATO is on
    the same level and there is no difference. Azerbaijan is not ahead of
    Armenia in any index in relations with NATO. Those who say that
    Azerbaijan is closer to NATO than Armenia are mistaken. Armenia has
    been taking part in all events as well. Armenia hosted NATO's
    large-scale event last year. This event will be held in Baku this
    year. It might be held in Armenia next year. Armenia is leading its
    policy mainly in line with its interests. It has built up its
    relations with NATO to a high level and is developing private
    relations with Russia. Armenia is conducting its policy in line with
    its interests. But Azerbaijan is continuing its policy to preserve
    the regime. Unlike these two countries, Georgia has resolutely
    expressed its wish to enter NATO and there is a strong progress in
    this sphere. The Georgian army has been fitted to NATO standards and
    has great support from the political viewpoint. Azerbaijan is mainly
    located in a security vacuum. This country's policy is a policy of
    indefinite security. It is more correct to describe Azerbaijan's
    policy as "the policy preserving the regime" .

    [Passage omitted: Ilham Aliyev continues policy of his father just
    airing slogans about the liberation of Karabakh, USA not to resolve
    the Karabakh conflict]

    Cool Azeri-Turkish relations might encourage Armenian-Turkish ties

    [Correspondent] We recently witnessed some facts damaging the
    relationships with Turkey. Do you think this is a coincidence or a
    well thought-out policy against the background of Russia's
    strengthening positions?

    [Mehdiyev] The regime does not depend on Turkey. It depends on Russia
    and the USA. For this reason, any kind of behaviour might be expected
    against Turkey. Naturally, as we mentioned, Russia does not support
    Turkey's strengthening in Azerbaijan.

    [Correspondent] Do you think that such cool relations might encourage
    Armenian-Turkish relations? Moreover, official Baku has stated that
    the opening of the borders will strike a serious blow to the
    resolving the problem.

    [Mehdiyev] No-one has the moral right to air critical opinions about
    Turkey. Turkey closed its borders for 11 years and is waiting. What
    did Heydar Aliyev do during this period? Maybe he was involved in
    issues pertaining to the construction of certain buildings somewhere
    [in Baku] or a petrol station. The Erdogan government will open
    borders with Armenia and establish diplomatic ties. This is
    inevitable. The opening of the Turkish-Armenian borders will
    naturally strengthen Armenia. If Turkey keeps its border closed for
    100 years, would Azerbaijan's lands be liberated just like that? An
    interesting psychology of not resolving one's own problem and blaming
    others has appeared in Azerbaijan. They blame everywhere [in
    Azerbaijan] the OSCE, the UN, the USA and Russia for not liberating
    the lands. It's a very strange position.

    [Passage omitted: Mehdiyev's cites as an example the struggle of
    Bosniaks to liberate their lands]

    Azerbaijani people guilty of current situation

    [Correspondent] Turkey's ruling circles have also played a certain
    role in the formation of the dynastic regime and from this point of
    view this country is partly guilty of the current situation ...
    [ellipses

    [Mehdiyev] The Azerbaijani people who are starving in refugee camps
    and simultaneously embracing Ilham Aliyev are guilty.

    [Correspondent] Do you expect any political changes in Azerbaijan in
    the near future or do you think the current situation will continue
    until the next [presidential] elections?

    [Mehdiyev] If such a person as [ex-Foreign Minister] Tofiq Qasimov
    has left Azerbaijan and gained asylum in a foreign country, then I
    ponder the plight of this country. Political processes are not
    developing in Azerbaijan. Quite simply, a police regime has been set
    up and democratic forces are being subjected to repression and
    torture. To speak about any changes is absurd until an atmosphere
    appears that encourages political processes.
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