Armenia, Azerbaijan `Close To Karabakh Deal'

[Hovik]

Nato, Azerbaijan: Good Prospects Of Relations

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Nov 19 2005

NATO, AZERBAIJAN: GOOD PROSPECTS OF RELATIONS
[November 19, 2005, 10:36:11]

The idea sounded at the meeting of the Minister of Defense of
Azerbaijan, general - colonel Safar Abiyev with Mr. Robert Simons,
the NATO Special Representative on Southern Caucasus and the Central
Asia, November 18.

As is informed from the press service of the ministry, general -
colonel Safar Abiyev has noted at the meeting the further expansion
of relations between Azerbaijan and the NATO. As is known, in May
2004, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has presented the
Secretary General of the NATO the plan of activity of individual
partnership (IPAP). On behalf of the President, for short time the
Commission on IPAP has been created, and elaborated the program for
performance of the plan.

Mr. Robert Simons has noted, that is glad to carrying out of exchange
of opinions in connection with relations between the NATO and
Azerbaijan, informing that took part in work of the commission under
the plan of activity of individual partnership in Baku. He emphasized
huge work carried out in this direction. Performance of the given
program will stimulate strengthening of defensibility of Azerbaijan,
he said. Intensive economic development of Azerbaijan promotes
successful performance of the given program. We are grateful to you
for the successful contribution of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan to
the operations carried out by the NATO in Kosovo and Afghanistan.
Relations between the NATO and Azerbaijan have good prospects, Mr.
Simons underlined.

General - colonel Safar Abiyev has told: `Azerbaijan very seriously
approaches to performance of IPAP. However, the Armenia-Azerbaijan,
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict impedes performance of the positions of
IPAP and, as a whole, to successful development of relations between
Azerbaijan and the NATO. It would be good, if the NATO openly would
support Azerbaijan in fair settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan
conflict. If the Armenian state does not make conclusions of
recommendations of the international organizations and does not carry
out requirements and principles of international law, Azerbaijan
itself will restore the territorial integrity. Delay of settlement of
the conflict is the huge factor which is negatively reflected in
relations between Azerbaijan and the NATO.

Robert Simmons has told: `We especially mark the successes achieved
in relations with Azerbaijan, and we hope for peace settlement of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict.

Also was held exchange of opinions on current military-political
conditions in Southern Caucasus, economic development of the country,
prospects of relations between Azerbaijan and the NATO, and other
questions.

[Hovik]

MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF AZERBAIJAN TAKES PART IN 115th SESSION

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Nov 19 2005

MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF AZERBAIJAN TAKES PART IN 115th SESSION
OF COE MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE
[November 19, 2005, 10:55:25]

As is known, on November 16, minister of foreign affairs of
Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov has arrived from Brussels to Strasbourg
to join the 115th session of the Ministerial Committee of the Council
of Europe.

In the first day of visit, Mr. Mammadyarov met with the Secretary
General of the Council of Europe T. Davis, the Secretary General of
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe B. Haller and the
General Director of PACE Secretariat M. Sorinas.

At the meeting with T. Davis, the sides had exchange of opinions on
parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan, projects and programs of
cooperation of the Council of Europe with Azerbaijan at the
subsequent stage, the peace talks on settlement of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and also on other
questions representing mutual interest.

The management of the Council of Europe has emphasized, that the
Organization, in particular, is ready to assist in realization of the
plan of activity for Azerbaijan in frameworks the `Neighborhood
Policy of the European Union'.

At the meeting with the Secretary General and General Director of
PACE Secretariat M. Sorinas, discussed were basically the
parliamentary elections conducted in Azerbaijan, and also the
questions connected to activity of co-rapporteurs of the PACE
Monitoring Committee on Azerbaijan. High estimation was given to the
measures taken by the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in the
field of elimination of infringements allowed during elections.

***

On November 17, Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has taken part in 115th
session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

E. Mammadyarov has addressed the session on which were discussed
strengthening of activity of the Council of Europe directed on
encouragement of the system of protection of human rights and
democracy, construction of more humane Europe, development of
connections between the Council of Europe, the European Union and
OSCE and other questions.

Minister E. Mammadyarov has shared opinion on encouragement of the
growing role of the Council of Europe on international arena, has
told about the important measures taken by the government of
Azerbaijan for carrying out of parliamentary elections in the country
in transparent and democratic conditions, highly has estimated the
plan of activity of the Council of Europe, connected with elections
in Milli Majlis, has noted, that delay of settlement of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is one of the main
obstacles on the path of democratic development of the Republic, has
called the Council of Europe and countries - participants to make
active efforts directed on elimination of the problem.

On November 18, Minister E. Mammadyarov has left from Strasbourg to
Paris for participation in the actions devoted to 60th anniversary of
UNESCO.

[Hovik]

Update: Azerbaijan's accession not on NATO's current agenda -

RIA Novosti, Russia
Nov 19 2005

Update: Azerbaijan's accession not on NATO's current agenda -
official
21:09 | 18/ 11/ 2005

BAKU, November 18 (RIA Novosti, Geray Dadashev) - A senior NATO
official said Friday that Azerbaijan's accession was not on the
trans-Atlantic alliance's current agenda.

Robert Simmons, NATO's Special Representative for the Caucasus and
Central Asia, told reporters after a session of the NATO-Azerbaijan
task force in the capital of Baku that the alliance would consider
the possibility of Azerbaijan's accession if the country applied for
membership. But the issue has not been discussed just yet, he added.

Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov said Azerbaijan was
approaching the issue of NATO accession from the standpoint of its
strategic, not short-term, interests and that the country should work
toward membership as the ultimate goal of its integration into NATO.

He said Azerbaijan was pleased with how its military and political
cooperation with NATO was developing and was hopeful that it would
deepen with time.

Simmons said he was satisfied with the progress in implementing the
NATO-Azerbaijan Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP). One of
IPAP's goals is to reform Azerbaijan's defense system, including by
optimizing human resources and defense spending.

Simmons expressed his support for NATO's decision to help Azerbaijan
clear its territory of unexploded mines by allocating more than 1
million euros in aid. The corresponding agreement was signed in Baku
Friday.

Another welcomed initiative is a joint project to dispense of
Azerbaijan's Soviet-era missile fuel, set to begin in 2006.

Simmons said NATO was closely watching the Nagorny Karabakh
settlement talks led by the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe.

Speaking about the possibility of stationing NATO peacekeepers in
Nagorny Karabakh, an area of long-standing dispute between Azerbaijan
and Armenia, Simmons said the bloc might deploy a peacekeeping
contingent and a monitoring group if it was asked to do so by the
conflicting sides.

[Gavur]

Icg Counsels Usa To Isolate Ilham Aliyev

AZG Armenian Daily #213, 23/11/2005

Human Rights Watch Says Azeri Policemen Took Part in Counting the Ballots

Two influential international organizations published separate reports yesterday on the November 6 parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan. The reports by the International Crisis Group and the Human Rights Watch give hint that the last Azerbaijani elections were the most falsified during the rule of the Aliyev dynasty. Earlier the US, EU, NATO and CE stated that the elections failed to meet European standards and only Russia, in the person of President Putin, congratulated Ilham Aliyev on "holding successful elections."

The report of the Human Rights Watch, second as Regnum informs, says that serious violations took place during the elections that were immediately marked by international and local observers.

Representatives of the authorities explicitly intervened in the process of the elections by threatening the observers, bribing voters and putting pressure on them. The representatives of the government, who were single-handedly running the election districts, often resorted to the police's support, put the voters and observers out who noticed violations. Besides, the policemen themselves took part in counting the ballots.

The ICG's report, titled "Azerbaijan's 2005 Elections: Lost Opportunity", is even sterner. The report says that Azerbaijan's international partners, the United States, Russia and the EU, connived at former elections held by senior and junior Aliyevs with the hope that the Aliyev administration will maintain stability in the country, will struggle against terrorism and will secure safe piping of the Caspian oil. This time, the report says, the world community turned to be more critical and is determined to put pressure on Baku authorities.

The ICG says in particular that if the regime in power fails to fulfill a number of commitments the US and other states will have to put a "diplomatic embargo" on President Ilham Aliyev and the key ministers, i.e. none of these states will give entry permit to them, the EU will suspend New Neighborhood policy and the Council of Europe will take steps to dismiss Azerbaijan.

Despite the tendency of placing two neighboring countries - Armenia and Azerbaijan - on one scale, the assessments of international organizations of the November 6 parliamentary elections show that Armenia lags behind Azerbaijan in its practice of rigging elections. If Armenian authorities manage to hold free and just constitutional referendum on November 27 the world community will stop applying the same yardstick to Armenia and Azerbaijan.

By Tatoul Hakobian

[Gavur]

Why the West Preferred to Whisper

by Philip Stephens

BAKU--Azerbaijan is one of those places about which most people know little and few care about. Earlier this month, the regime in Baku rigged the country's parliamentary elections. The US and European governments protested. Not too loudly. The cause of democracy in the southern Caucasus runs a poor third place to short-term calculation and oil.

Last week Tony Blair, the British prime minister, gave his annual foreign policy speech in London. Thirty years ago, Blair said, a political leader who argued that the best way to advance national interest was to promote democracy and justice worldwide would have been dismissed as an idealist. Today, such a leader is a realist. The problem, he said, lay not in the ambition to spread liberty, but in a failure to follow through the logic of global interdependence.

This makes the international reaction to the elections in Azerbaijan doubly depressing. Democracy is not a quick fix. Overturning obnoxious regimes may not lead automatically to western-style pluralism--witness Iraq. Nurturing civil society, entrenching the rule of law and the rest require time and application.

So those who set the advance of democracy as a central goal are always vulnerable to the charge of hypocrisy. Sometimes it will be better to nudge despots in the right direction rather than depose them. When that happens, the self-styled foreign policy realists will always be the first to cry foul.

That said, in Azerbaijan the west could have made a difference. Instead, it has chosen the easy option of, if not quite keeping quiet, speaking in a whisper.

By accidents of geology and geography, Azerbaijan has strategic significance. The country is at the heart of the Caspian oil and gas boom. A 1600 km pipeline, built and operated by the British-based BP, will soon be pumping a million barrels a day to the Mediterranean. It is one of many former Soviet republics sitting along an arc of instability stretching from the Black Sea to China. Most face the choice between democracy and authoritarianism, some between secularism and militant Islam. It is clear where the west's interests lie.

There was never a prospect that the latest elections would oust President Ilham Aliyev, who was elected president after another rigged vote two years ago. Aliyev, though, had promised the semblance of a fair poll--in form, if not in substance. Fluent in English, Aliyev is a plausible politician. When I met him in September he said he was forging a western-style democracy to take Azerbaijan into the European-Atlantic community.

"Clever bullxxxx" is how one western diplomat in Baku describes this patter. In the months before the poll, opposition parties were harassed and rallies banned. Electoral oversight commissions were filled with apparatchiks. On polling day, ballot boxes were stuffed and votes for opposition parties "lost." Aliyev's supporters duly announced that they had won 90% of the seats. The international response? The US state department said it was deeply disturbed. The European Union complained in terms feeble even by its own low standards. The excuse of western governments is the conduct of the elections did mark some advance on the 2003 presidential poll.

Azerbaijan, though, should not be a hard case. The west could have demanded that the regime allow much greater opposition representation in parliament as a first step. That would have been a perfectly reasonable price for the visit to the White House so coveted by Aliyev.

Instead, just as it did for so many years in its relationships with all those oil-rich states in the Middle East, it has allowed the illusion of stability to trump strategic ambition. Azerbaijan, meanwhile, is left to its own devices and, quite possibly, to the eventual advance of militant Islam.
© 2005 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved.

[UKTurk]

Gavur copies and pastes another biased, completely wrong anti-Turkic article

Thats completely rubbish! Where the hell did he get the "idea" that militant Islam will/or could rise in Azerbaijan. Infact its the complete opposite.

"The absence of influential indigenous Islamic militant groups in Azerbaijan could also be explained by severe government crackdowns on all vestiges of dissent – Islamic or otherwise. For instance, the Azeri government moved quickly to neutralize the challenge from the Islamic Party of Azerbaijan (IPA) by banning the movement and incarcerating its leaders. The government also cracked down on other radical groups such as Jeyshullah (Army of God), a small radical group determined to carry out attacks against western targets (including the U.S. embassy) in Baku. [1] "

1."Jeyshullah Chief Sentenced to Life in Prison," AssA-Irada, October 3, 2000.

[UKTurk]

International Monitors Split Over Azerbaijan Elections

By Alman Mir - Ismail
Thursday, November 17, 2005


Free and Fair?
The November 6 parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan drew significant international attention, partly driven by the desire to see if another democratic "color revolution" would take place in the post-Soviet region. Foreign journalists and international observers flooded the streets of Baku. Historically a geopolitical battleground, Azerbaijan once again became a hotbed for the competing interests of foreign powers. This competition, in turn, has generated various, often opposing, assessments of the elections.

Whereas the United States and EU member countries have been pressing for democracy and respect for the rule of law from the beginning of the campaign period, other regional powers chose to support the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP). In this situation, Russia's position was the most predictable. Having "lost" Georgia and Ukraine to the West as a result of democratic revolutions, the Kremlin has been determined to maintain its influence in Azerbaijan though supporting the Aliyev administration and the status quo. This stance was not a surprise to many, as the opposition in Azerbaijan is more pro-Western than the ruling party, which promotes a balanced foreign policy. Thus, a possible "Velvet Revolution" in Azerbaijan would not be in Russia's interests.

It is not a coincidence that Vladimir Rushailo, the executive secretary of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the head of the CIS monitoring delegation, has been praising the electoral process since his arrival in Baku several weeks prior to the actual vote. His actions have angered members of the opposition, who claim that Rushailo is interfering in the domestic affairs of the country. Following the elections, Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs rushed to declare, "The elections have passed according to Azerbaijani legislation," and Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, on "successful parliamentary elections" (Azertaj News Agency, November 9).

Russia inserted nearly 100 of its observers inside of the OSCE/ODIHR short-term observation delegation. Some diplomatic sources from Western countries were not happy about the OSCE making such a concession to the Kremlin and have privately told Jamestown that the presence of the Russian observers inside OSCE/ODIHR was aimed at softening the group's final assessment of the election process.

Iran has chosen a similar pattern of action, highly praising the elections and supporting Aliyev's party. "There have been some small technical problems, but overall the elections were very orderly and democratic," said the Iranian ambassador in Baku, Afshar Sueymani (AzTV, November 7). This position is easy to explain, as Iran, having been confronted by major U.S. pressures on its nuclear programs, has been trying for the past two years to improve its relations with official Baku and ensure the latter's neutrality in the case of a U.S.-Iranian conflict. American officials are said to be pushing Aliyev to allow a U.S. military base in Azerbaijan.

Official Ankara, although not openly praising the Azerbaijani elections, was somewhat supportive of President Aliyev and his policies to improve the electoral process in the country. Although the Azerbaijani opposition maintains very strong ties with political circles in Turkey, and its leaders made frequent visits to Istanbul and Ankara on the eve of the elections, relations with the incumbent authorities seems to top the Turkish government's list of priorities.

Perhaps the most critical assessment of the elections was given, as expected, by Western governments and organizations. However, there was a wide range of opinions in this category as well. Whereas U.S. Congressman Alcee L. Hastings, head of the OSCE's Parliamentary delegation mission, said, "The shortcomings that were observed, particularly during the election day, have led us to conclude that the election did not meet a number of OSCE standards," softer assessments came from the observers dispatched by the European Parliament, NATO Parliamentary Delegation, and a number of private American and European delegations. Swedish Parliamentarian Goran Lindblad told participants at a Johns Hopkins University teleconference on November 7, "Elections were a sign of a step forward," and a number of Bulgarian observers held a press conference on the same day, to note Azerbaijan's improved electoral process. Meanwhile, Radio Free Europe reported EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner as saying that she regretted reports of electoral violations in Azerbaijan's legislative elections, but she also pointed out that the European Union took note of "some improvements" in the electoral process (Reuters, November 7). U.S. State Department spokesperson Adam Ereli shared the OSCE conclusions, but also noted some improvements.

It is also clear that the major regional powers do not want to spoil relations with the Azerbaijani government due to the current high level of economic, energy, and security cooperation. Thus, most of them have accepted the election results. Questions now arise across the Azeri political spectrum about the reasons for the harsh statements by the OSCE and the Council of Europe and whether these organizations have their own agendas. "Some European organizations are very worried about the growth of Azerbaijani military spending and harshly criticizing elections is one of the ways to keep pressures on the Aliyev regime," said one local analyst.

[Gavur]

Please have the decency to put you source like I do

I'm sorry if you don't like that Article says take it up with the author
(Don't shoot I'm just the messenger)
If its not the article and you just dont like me presenting it TUFF TITTY!

[Gavur]

Oskanian: “Karabakh Is Part of Armenia, Our Land, Where Our Ancestors Lived for Centu

Oskanian: “Karabakh Is Part of Armenia, Our Land, Where Our Ancestors Lived for Centuries”
25.11.2005 10:19 GMT-08:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Nagorno Karabakh is an inseparable part of Armenia and will never pass under the jurisdiction of Azerbaijan,” Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian stated during the TV marathon for collection of funds for the reconstruction of Karabakh. He stated that “Nagorno Karabakh will never be a part of Azerbaijan, since the people of Karabakh and Armenians in the whole world will never let it happen.” In the early 1990-ies the people of Karabakh fought for their land with almost barehanded. Karabakh is a part of Armenia, our land, where our ancestors had lived for centuries. Karabakh became a part of Azerbaijan during the soviet period only,” the Armenian Minister said. In his words, Karabakh has always been more independent than Armenia. Even during the period when Armenia was under the yoke of invaders Karabakh maintained independence. The stronger are the ties with Nagorno Karabakh and its unity with the Armenians throughout the globe the harder it will be to make it a part of Azerbaijan,” Vartan Oskanian resumed, IA Regnum reported.

[Hovik]

Azeris Do Not Believe Yerevan Could Recognize Karabakh Independence

AZERIS DO NOT BELIEVE YEREVAN COULD RECOGNIZE KARABAKH INDEPENDENCE

Armenpress
Nov 24 2005

BAKU, NOVEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS: Vafa Guluzade, a former aide to the
late Azeri president Heydar Aliyev, downplayed a statement by Armenian
president Robert Kocharian that Armenia would officially recognize
the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic if the conflicting sides failed to
achieve a final solution to the conflict.

"Armenia will never dare to officially recognize Nagorno-Karabakh,'
Guluzade was quoted by Trend news agency as saying. He argued
that Kocharian made the statement 'to put pressure on Azerbaijan,'
saying also Moscow played a role in it. Another political analyst
in Azerbaijan, Aldin Mirzazade argued that had Armenia wanted to
recognize Karabakh it would have done so long before. "Kocharian's
statement will be floated by media for several days and then will be
forgotten," he said.

President Kocharian made the remark in an interview to a Slovenian
daily Delo earlier this week when he was visiting Ljubljana. Kocharian
said Armenia has actually recognized Nagorno-Karabakh. He said
Armenian national currency-dram- is used by it and there is also a
common customs zone.

"There is a serious integration process between Armenia and
Nagorno-Karabakh and these relations can be termed as 'disproportionate
confederation,' he said.