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AZERBAIJAN SEEKS PEACE AND JUSTICE
By Ben Garcia
Kuwait Times
Sept 26 2011
Kuwait
KUWAIT: The ambassador of Azerbaijan to Kuwait Tural Rzayev, has
called for a "concrete and genuine action" to promote peace and
harmony in the Caucasus region. Rzayev's statement came in reaction
to a press statement made by Armenian Ambassador to Kuwait last week,
calling for peace and harmony. "But Armenians are doing otherwise,"
he said. Press conferences for both countries were held in separate
occasions to mark the International Day of Peace, observed throughout
the world every September 21.
Rzayev noted that there can only be real peace and harmony in their
territory if the Armenians return 20 percent of the land which
Rzayev claimed was "illegally occupied by the Armenians". In a press
conference yesterday at the embassy in Yarmouk, Rzayev stated that the
call for peace and self determination were unfounded. "They said they
want peace in the region, but they are calling for self determination
from our own land which they illegally occupied," the ambassador said.
They occupy 20 percent of our territory and commit acts of aggression
against our people. For us (the Azeris), the pronouncement is
completely opposite to what they are trying to preach," he said
appealing to the Armenians to transform words into real and genuine
action. A joint statement from the Commissioner for Human Rights
(Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijan Peace and
Development Alliance was also distributed during the press conference.
The document which was signed by the Commissioner for Human Rights
Elmira Suleymanova, includes some detailed Armenian crimes and
aggressions against the Azeri people. The landlocked mountainous
region of Nagorno Karabakh remains one of the flash points in the
conflict. Nagorno Karabakh declared its independence from Azerbaijan
in 1991 leading to a bloody war with ethnic Armenians who make up
most of the population of the enclave. Since a truce in 1994, it has
remained in an unsteady deadlock. Although mos t people there consider
themselves Armenian, 'technically the province lies in the territory
of Azerbaijan'.
Its independence has never been recognized by the international
community and all diplomatic attempts to find a solution have so far
failed. According to Rzayev, some information given were misleading.
"They said their population is about three million - maybe half of
the number yes. Many Armenians had fled to neighboring countries like
Russia, Europe and Middle East countries," he said.
Rzayev explained why Armenians occupied 20 percent of their
territories. "It happened immediately after the disintegration of
the Soviet Union. At that time, we could not fight back because we
had nothing. They have strong military, backed by Russians. So they
killed some native Azeris and grabbed their lands," he said. "Now,
there are approximately 50,000 Armenians in that part of our territory
and they want to create a second Armenian state. We are ready to give
them the highest form of autonomy within Azerbaijan, but we are not
going to give up the land they illegally occupied," he added.
Rzayev said they will do all it takes to resolve the conflict
peacefully with the help of the international community - but if
provoked, "we are ready to defend their territory militarily," he
said. "This time we can flex our own muscles broadly. The Armenian
entire budget is just the budget of Azerbaijan's army," he said. "We
are capable of starting a war if necessary. We don't want to wait
for another 20 more years to get what belongs to us.
http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=NzE3NDcwMzg0Mw==
From: A. Papazian
By Ben Garcia
Kuwait Times
Sept 26 2011
Kuwait
KUWAIT: The ambassador of Azerbaijan to Kuwait Tural Rzayev, has
called for a "concrete and genuine action" to promote peace and
harmony in the Caucasus region. Rzayev's statement came in reaction
to a press statement made by Armenian Ambassador to Kuwait last week,
calling for peace and harmony. "But Armenians are doing otherwise,"
he said. Press conferences for both countries were held in separate
occasions to mark the International Day of Peace, observed throughout
the world every September 21.
Rzayev noted that there can only be real peace and harmony in their
territory if the Armenians return 20 percent of the land which
Rzayev claimed was "illegally occupied by the Armenians". In a press
conference yesterday at the embassy in Yarmouk, Rzayev stated that the
call for peace and self determination were unfounded. "They said they
want peace in the region, but they are calling for self determination
from our own land which they illegally occupied," the ambassador said.
They occupy 20 percent of our territory and commit acts of aggression
against our people. For us (the Azeris), the pronouncement is
completely opposite to what they are trying to preach," he said
appealing to the Armenians to transform words into real and genuine
action. A joint statement from the Commissioner for Human Rights
(Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijan Peace and
Development Alliance was also distributed during the press conference.
The document which was signed by the Commissioner for Human Rights
Elmira Suleymanova, includes some detailed Armenian crimes and
aggressions against the Azeri people. The landlocked mountainous
region of Nagorno Karabakh remains one of the flash points in the
conflict. Nagorno Karabakh declared its independence from Azerbaijan
in 1991 leading to a bloody war with ethnic Armenians who make up
most of the population of the enclave. Since a truce in 1994, it has
remained in an unsteady deadlock. Although mos t people there consider
themselves Armenian, 'technically the province lies in the territory
of Azerbaijan'.
Its independence has never been recognized by the international
community and all diplomatic attempts to find a solution have so far
failed. According to Rzayev, some information given were misleading.
"They said their population is about three million - maybe half of
the number yes. Many Armenians had fled to neighboring countries like
Russia, Europe and Middle East countries," he said.
Rzayev explained why Armenians occupied 20 percent of their
territories. "It happened immediately after the disintegration of
the Soviet Union. At that time, we could not fight back because we
had nothing. They have strong military, backed by Russians. So they
killed some native Azeris and grabbed their lands," he said. "Now,
there are approximately 50,000 Armenians in that part of our territory
and they want to create a second Armenian state. We are ready to give
them the highest form of autonomy within Azerbaijan, but we are not
going to give up the land they illegally occupied," he added.
Rzayev said they will do all it takes to resolve the conflict
peacefully with the help of the international community - but if
provoked, "we are ready to defend their territory militarily," he
said. "This time we can flex our own muscles broadly. The Armenian
entire budget is just the budget of Azerbaijan's army," he said. "We
are capable of starting a war if necessary. We don't want to wait
for another 20 more years to get what belongs to us.
http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=NzE3NDcwMzg0Mw==
From: A. Papazian