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AZERBAIJANI COMMUNITY LEADER ON UNITING 'ALL KARABAKHIS'
news.az
Sept 19 2011
Azerbaijan
The head of the Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh has said
that the people of Karabakh consist of both Armenians and Azerbaijanis.
"Azerbaijanis have lived in Karabakh since ancient times, and I'm sure
that they will live there for many centuries more," Bayram Safarov
said in an interview with Russian newspaper, Nezavisimaya Gazeta.
"We were forced to flee our homes as a result of Armenia's military
aggression. Of course, this is a tragedy. Each refugee is a story,
full of pain and emotion. Today the Karabakh people are scattered
across 58 districts of Azerbaijan," he told the newspaper.
"The UN and international charities helped refugees and displaced
people in the early days along with the Azerbaijani government, but
over time, the financial resources of Azerbaijan allowed it fully to
take care of the people of Karabakh.
"I say 'people of Karabakh' since this term should characterize
the people of Karabakh - both Azerbaijanis and Armenians. There is
no such nation - the Armenians of Karabakh - just as there is no
nation the Azerbaijanis of Karabakh. The Azerbaijani community of
Nagorno-Karabakh Region of Azerbaijan unites all Karabakhis and aims
to achieve their return to their homeland."
Asked whether he was satisfied with the role of international
institutions in settling the Karabakh conflict, Safarov restated
the Azerbaijani concern that some UN Security Council resolutions
are implemented almost immediately, while others, such as the four
resolutions in 1993 calling for the withdrawal of Armenian troops
from Azerbaijan, remain on paper.
"We have the same right to live in Karabakh as the Armenians do,"
Safarov told Nezavisimaya Gazeta.
"We have regular meetings with the chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group,
take part in every possible conference and forum on the conflict. We
bring to the attention of these structures our opinion and we can
see over time that the opinion of these structures is changing as
they have a complete picture of the conflict."
He repeated Baku's position that the best way to change the status
quo on the conflict would be the withdrawal of Armenian troops
from Azerbaijani territory, the return home of displaced people
and the confirmation of the status of Karabakh within the borders
of Azerbaijan.
"If anyone thinks that over the years the desire to return home
evaporates or that the new generation is used to living in different
conditions, they are very wrong. Our generation still remembers the
period of co-existence and can master its feelings of alienation and
hatred, while the young people are growing up in conditions of hatred,
as they cannot forget everything that has left them without hearth
and home. The longer the occupation continues, the more the hatred
will grow."
Asked what he would like to say to his former friends, neighbours and
acquaintances in Karabakh, Safarov said: "We are deeply convinced
that the directly Armenian population of the territory is not
interested in continuation of the conflict - they have become
hostage to circumstance. It will be better for both the Armenians
and Azerbaijanis if the funds going on the purchase of weapons and
maintenance of the army in both countries are spent on improving the
welfare of people and restoring the territory."
news.az
Sept 19 2011
Azerbaijan
The head of the Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh has said
that the people of Karabakh consist of both Armenians and Azerbaijanis.
"Azerbaijanis have lived in Karabakh since ancient times, and I'm sure
that they will live there for many centuries more," Bayram Safarov
said in an interview with Russian newspaper, Nezavisimaya Gazeta.
"We were forced to flee our homes as a result of Armenia's military
aggression. Of course, this is a tragedy. Each refugee is a story,
full of pain and emotion. Today the Karabakh people are scattered
across 58 districts of Azerbaijan," he told the newspaper.
"The UN and international charities helped refugees and displaced
people in the early days along with the Azerbaijani government, but
over time, the financial resources of Azerbaijan allowed it fully to
take care of the people of Karabakh.
"I say 'people of Karabakh' since this term should characterize
the people of Karabakh - both Azerbaijanis and Armenians. There is
no such nation - the Armenians of Karabakh - just as there is no
nation the Azerbaijanis of Karabakh. The Azerbaijani community of
Nagorno-Karabakh Region of Azerbaijan unites all Karabakhis and aims
to achieve their return to their homeland."
Asked whether he was satisfied with the role of international
institutions in settling the Karabakh conflict, Safarov restated
the Azerbaijani concern that some UN Security Council resolutions
are implemented almost immediately, while others, such as the four
resolutions in 1993 calling for the withdrawal of Armenian troops
from Azerbaijan, remain on paper.
"We have the same right to live in Karabakh as the Armenians do,"
Safarov told Nezavisimaya Gazeta.
"We have regular meetings with the chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group,
take part in every possible conference and forum on the conflict. We
bring to the attention of these structures our opinion and we can
see over time that the opinion of these structures is changing as
they have a complete picture of the conflict."
He repeated Baku's position that the best way to change the status
quo on the conflict would be the withdrawal of Armenian troops
from Azerbaijani territory, the return home of displaced people
and the confirmation of the status of Karabakh within the borders
of Azerbaijan.
"If anyone thinks that over the years the desire to return home
evaporates or that the new generation is used to living in different
conditions, they are very wrong. Our generation still remembers the
period of co-existence and can master its feelings of alienation and
hatred, while the young people are growing up in conditions of hatred,
as they cannot forget everything that has left them without hearth
and home. The longer the occupation continues, the more the hatred
will grow."
Asked what he would like to say to his former friends, neighbours and
acquaintances in Karabakh, Safarov said: "We are deeply convinced
that the directly Armenian population of the territory is not
interested in continuation of the conflict - they have become
hostage to circumstance. It will be better for both the Armenians
and Azerbaijanis if the funds going on the purchase of weapons and
maintenance of the army in both countries are spent on improving the
welfare of people and restoring the territory."