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AZG Armenian Daily #144, 17/08/2005
Neighbors
AZERBAIJAN CARRIES ELECTIONS IN KARABAKH AND NEIGHBORING TERRITORIES
Armenians of Neighboring Territories 'Deprived' of Constitutional right
The Central Electoral Committee of Azerbaijan (CEC) took a decision a
couple of days ago to reopen the "122 electoral district of Khanqendi"
and to appoint CEC members there. The CEC has addressed a message
to the "electorate" of Khanqendi electoral district (along with
numerous Armenian towns and regions, Baku authorities changed the
name of Stepanakert into Khanqendi 15 years ago) informing that they
have created "all necessary conditions for free, just elections to
realize the rights of Armenian citizens of Azerbaijan".
"As a result of creation of a secessionist regime in Azeri territories
that Armenia has occupied, the Armenian citizens of Azerbaijan have
turned into a plaything in the hands of the aggressor. Along with
their constitutional rights, they are deprived of their electoral
right. The CEC calls for the Armenian citizens of Azerbaijan to help
put an end to the secessionist regime to secure their constitutional
rights", the message reads.
It is Mazahir Panahov, the head of the CEC, who has turned into
a plaything in Ilham Aliyev's hands in this case. This populist
statement of Baku authorities targets the international community and
attempts to show that Azerbaijan is ready to guarantee the safety of
the Armenians. But only three days ago, President Aliyev held forth
in Sumgait, the site of first Armenian pogroms, threatening to settle
the Karabakh conflict by means of arms. Is the West ready to believe
Baku's statements when only a few months ago Armenian servicemen were
refused entrance visas to Azerbaijan thus failing NATO exercises in
Baku? Or, is that possible to believe Baku's assurances when the latter
makes a hero of a murderer who axed down his Armenian counterpart in
Budapest? US ambassador to Armenia John Evans gave the best description
to the anti-Armenian hysteria in Baku, "Everybody understands that
Karabakh cannot be returned to Azerbaijan as that would be a disaster".
Azerbaijan seems to have settled the issue of organizing elections
in territories that are out of Baku's control. Mediamx agency quoted
Mazahir Panahov as saying that the electorate of "Khanqendi electoral
district" can take part in the elections through the Internet. To make
the Azeri nonsense complete, it must be noted that Ilham Aliyev's
Yeni Azerbaijan Party has put up no candidates in Stepanakert. In
the regions of Martuni, Shushi and Fizuli Yeni Azerbaijan represents
Elman Mamedov.
The CEC of Azerbaijan has formed electoral districts in
Karabakh-controlled territories, ad exemplum previous years. But
contrary to the residents of Stepanakert, Shushi and Martuni, the
population of, say, Zangelan, Qelbajar and Ghubatlu, mostly survivors
of Armenian pogroms, are not granted the privilege of realizing their
constitutional right in the "free and just" elections of November 6.
By Tatoul Hakobian
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Neighbors
AZERBAIJAN CARRIES ELECTIONS IN KARABAKH AND NEIGHBORING TERRITORIES
Armenians of Neighboring Territories 'Deprived' of Constitutional right
The Central Electoral Committee of Azerbaijan (CEC) took a decision a
couple of days ago to reopen the "122 electoral district of Khanqendi"
and to appoint CEC members there. The CEC has addressed a message
to the "electorate" of Khanqendi electoral district (along with
numerous Armenian towns and regions, Baku authorities changed the
name of Stepanakert into Khanqendi 15 years ago) informing that they
have created "all necessary conditions for free, just elections to
realize the rights of Armenian citizens of Azerbaijan".
"As a result of creation of a secessionist regime in Azeri territories
that Armenia has occupied, the Armenian citizens of Azerbaijan have
turned into a plaything in the hands of the aggressor. Along with
their constitutional rights, they are deprived of their electoral
right. The CEC calls for the Armenian citizens of Azerbaijan to help
put an end to the secessionist regime to secure their constitutional
rights", the message reads.
It is Mazahir Panahov, the head of the CEC, who has turned into
a plaything in Ilham Aliyev's hands in this case. This populist
statement of Baku authorities targets the international community and
attempts to show that Azerbaijan is ready to guarantee the safety of
the Armenians. But only three days ago, President Aliyev held forth
in Sumgait, the site of first Armenian pogroms, threatening to settle
the Karabakh conflict by means of arms. Is the West ready to believe
Baku's statements when only a few months ago Armenian servicemen were
refused entrance visas to Azerbaijan thus failing NATO exercises in
Baku? Or, is that possible to believe Baku's assurances when the latter
makes a hero of a murderer who axed down his Armenian counterpart in
Budapest? US ambassador to Armenia John Evans gave the best description
to the anti-Armenian hysteria in Baku, "Everybody understands that
Karabakh cannot be returned to Azerbaijan as that would be a disaster".
Azerbaijan seems to have settled the issue of organizing elections
in territories that are out of Baku's control. Mediamx agency quoted
Mazahir Panahov as saying that the electorate of "Khanqendi electoral
district" can take part in the elections through the Internet. To make
the Azeri nonsense complete, it must be noted that Ilham Aliyev's
Yeni Azerbaijan Party has put up no candidates in Stepanakert. In
the regions of Martuni, Shushi and Fizuli Yeni Azerbaijan represents
Elman Mamedov.
The CEC of Azerbaijan has formed electoral districts in
Karabakh-controlled territories, ad exemplum previous years. But
contrary to the residents of Stepanakert, Shushi and Martuni, the
population of, say, Zangelan, Qelbajar and Ghubatlu, mostly survivors
of Armenian pogroms, are not granted the privilege of realizing their
constitutional right in the "free and just" elections of November 6.
By Tatoul Hakobian
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress