From: farid@mem.odu.edu (F. H. Miandoab)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.turkish
Subject: -->>> News - Azerbaijan <<<-- Dec. 7-10
Date: 12 Dec 1992 01:52:53 -0600
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway
Reply-To: Turkish Cultural Program List <TRKNWS-L%USCVM.BitNet@pucc.PRINCETON.EDU>
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu

The following news from Turan News Agency in Baku-Azerbaijan
is brought to you as a service of the:

                  <Azerbaijan Aydinlig Association>
                         P.O. Box 14571
                       Berkeley, CA 94701
                      FAX: (804) 490-3832
                    Email: farid@mem.odu.edu

P L E A S E make a hard copy of the news available to an Azerbaijani near you!
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  STATE MINISTER OF TURKEY IN AZERBAIJAN

   BAKU (8 DEC.) TURAN: Yesterday the state minister of turkey,
erdal inanyu, arrived in baku for a visit . He has was
received by the president and the speaker of the parliament
of azerbaijan.
   Unlike the previous visits of the turkish leaders, this one is
going on under the conditions of strained azeri-turkish relations.
Behind this strained relations lies the decision of the turkish
authorities to supply armenia with wheat and electrical power.
   As it is known, the foreign ministry of azerbaijan declared the
the turkish decision as unfriendly towards azerbaijan.
   Two days ago, the turkish authorities made their choice and
decided to suspend the electrical power supplies to armenia,
justifying their action by their anxiety that in other case,
azerbaijan would turn away from turkey.
   In the course of the talks at the supreme soviet of
azerbaijan, speaker of the parliament, isa gambarov, said to erdal
inanyu that "if turkey failed to cut off its electrical power
supplies to armenia, we might have big difficulties in
explaining such turkish steps to the nation."
   The turan agency was credibly informed that the visit of
erdal inanyu was aimed at 'seeking forgiveness for the
turkish decision" and at reconciliation of these two friendly
states. The same object has been pursued by president of turkey
turgut azal, who having invited the leader of the oppositional party
for national independence, etibar mamedov to visit ankara, allowed
an hour for their talks.
    Baku's observers think that the turkish steps could be
explained by the fact that this state is so eager to please
every country, that sometimes, forgets that ignoring of the
political realities may damage the turkish-azeri relations.
    Today, in the evening, erdal inanyu is due to leave for
turkey.--0--



  TURKEY INSISTS - ARMENIA SHOULD ABANDON ITS TERRITORIAL CLAIMS

   BAKU (8 DEC.) TURAN: Appearing before the milli mejlis in
baku today, the state minister of turkey, erdal inanyu, said
that "turkey will not enter a political and economic relations
with armenia until the latter abandons its territorial claims
against azerbaijan and withdraws its forces from karabakh".
    Inanyu linked the question on the turkish electrical power
supplies to the same terms.--0--


    SPEAKER'S SPEECH ON TV

   BAKU (8 DEC.) TURAN: The continued war, the economical
crisis, the low standards of living of the great mass of the
population -  are the three main problems, the settlement of
which the recent leadership of azerbaijan considers of utmost
importance, announced speaker of the parliament, isa gambarov
in his speech last evening on national tv.
  In spite of the existing problems, the standards of living
in azerbaijan is higher than in the majority of the republics
of the former ussr. At the same time, as isa gambarov has marked,
"the economical situation in azerbaijan will be improved and the
normalization of the most branches will begin as early as 1993".
   Regarding the continued war, the speaker suggests that "till
the armenian people remain in the capacity of illusion, bloodshed
will not stop".
   Concerning the interior political situation, isa gambarov has
denied the charges of neo-bolshevism, which was echoed recently.
" New parliament elections, which are to take part in the first
half of the next year will play a great part in the cause of
deepening of the reforms and will become the guarantee for the
irreversibility of the democratical changes in azerbaijan",
-considers isa gambarov.--0--



   NAKHICHEVANI LEADERSHIP APPEALS TO THE PRESIDENT AND
   PARLIAMENT OF AZERBAIJAN

    BAKU (DEC.8) TURAN: The presidium of the supreme mejlis of
the nakhichevani autonomous republic has condemned the calls for
taking forcible measures against the legal government of the
nakhichevan, echoed at the extraordinary session of the popular
front. The presidium considers such calls as " the acts of
political terrorism, aiming at undermining of stability in
nakhichevan". The presidium called on the president and
parliament of azerbaijan to end such activities.
     Head of nakhichevan, heydar aliyev, said to the turan agency
that the accusations brought against him charging that aliyev
has set up illegal bodies ( committees for borders" protection,
for defence, customs and for foreign economic links) were groundless.
    "These bodies are controlled by the nakhichevani government
and are a part of the state structure", said aliyev.--0--



    ARMENIAN SUB-UNITS PREPARING TO ATTACK AGDAM

   BAKU (8 DEC.) TURAN: The azeri defence ministry reports that
intense military operations have been resumed in the region
of agdam. The enemy has accumulated a large number of personnel
and heavy technics in this direction.
   Yesterday morning, the armenian forces attacked the village
of khramort in the region of khojali. After heavy battles, the
enemy, having lost about 25 soldiers, was pushed back to their
initial positions. As before, the village of khramort is
under the azeri army's control. Nevertheless, a heavy day of
ongoing combats in this region was reported.
   Since december 5, armenian sub-units have intensified their
operations in the agdam direction. The experts of the defence
ministry think that the enemy, having conducted the probing
attacks on the flanks, is planning to deliver a major blow to
the center of the azeri defenses. That is also proved by the
concentration of the armenian shock troops (up to 500 soldiers
and 15 pieces of the armored technics) in the area of the
settlements of askeran-nakhichevanic.
   To justify the assault operations of the armenian
expeditionary corps, the armenian mass-media announced that this
group was deployed along the border of the region of agdam as if
to counter the azeri operation of 'sand-storm", invented by the
armenian mass-media itself.--0--



    NO LIFTING OF THE BLOCKADE

   BAKU (8 DEC.) TURAN: The head of the azeri delegation for
armenian-azeri talks on lifting the blockade of the
railway afiaddin jalilov accused the armenian side of
premeditated wrecking of the talks, set for december 3.
   "Armenian side does not want to resume the railway traffic.
And asserts without presenting any proof that the azeri sub-units
would capture the armenian region of megri if the railway
traffic is resumed", said jalilov at the milli mejlis today.
   It is only an excuse, as djalilov says. And the truth is that
armenian side intends to harden the blockade of nakhichevan.
   At present the azeri government embarks on a package of
measures to arrange the transportation of the loads from baku to
nakhichevan through the territory of iran.--0--



   PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN PAYS A VISIT TO THE UKRAINE

    BAKU (9 DEC.) TURAN: Today is the first day of the official
visit by president of azerbaijan abulfaz elchibey to the
ukraine. As the turan agency has already informed, in the course
of the two-days visit, the sides are going to sign the treaty of
friendship and cooperation, a number of agreements in economic
and cultural fields.
    If earlier, the political interests of the ukraine and
azerbaijan coincided to a large extent and brought together
these two countries, now the economical aspects of their
cooperations have become the matter of the highest priority.
The ukraine depends on the fuel export, and azerbaijan on export
of foodstuffs.
   According to the statistical data, the ukraine was and
remains one of the major economic partners of azerbaijan (after
russia) among the republics of the former ussr. The total volume
of the azerbaijani-ukraine trade makes up several hundreds of
millions of rubles.--0--



    AZERBAIJAN ENTERS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

    BAKU (9 DEC.) TURAN: On december 8, the milli mejlis of
azerbaijan passed a resolution on entering of the republic
of azerbaijan to the interparliamentary union - the international
organization, created in 1967.
    As it is known, this organization, the headquarters of which
is in geneva, is uniting many member states of un.
    The chairman of the azerbaijani parliament, isa gambarov,
believes that the interparliamentary unit's membership is of
great importance for successful integration of the republic into
the international community.
     The same day, milli mejlis passed the resolution on
accession of the republic to the international convention on
refugees. The fundamentals of the convention have been approved
as far back as 1951, and the protocol in 1967.
     The chairman of the azerbaijani supreme soviet's commission
for refugees, vagif huseynov, said to the turan correspondent that
accession of azerbaijan to this convention would simplify the
task of bringing the truth of the state of the azeri refugees to
the international community's notice and formalities on receiving
the humanitarian aid for them and so on.
    As it is known, at present there are 238,000 refugees from
armenia, republics of central asia and russia officially
registered in azerbaijan. And about 50,000 azeris have been
expelled from their land of nagorno-karabakh.--0--



    BARANNIKOV GIVES SHELTER TO MUTALLIBOV

    BAKU (9 DEC.) TURAN: The interior minister of azerbaijan,
iskander hamidov, making his television appearance, announced
that the ex-president of azerbaijan, ayaz mutalibov, has been
hiding himself in the moscow's localities at the summer-cottage
of the russian national security minister, victor barannikov.
    According to the hamidov's words, it is the officers of the
task group of alfa that are guarding the ex-president, who
takes not one step out of the premises of the cottage. Hamidov is
sure, mutalibov is taken care of not by the russian government,
but by barannikov personal. The latter, together with the chief
of the russian intelligence service, yevgeni primakov, had the
most direct bearing on the bringing of the soviet troops in baku
in january of 1990.
    As it is known, recently the russian government has refused
the azerbaijani interior ministry in extradition of mutalibov,
saying there was no agreement on extradition between azerbaijan
and russia.--0--



      RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT HELPS THE KARABAKH'S SEPARATISTS

    BAKU (9 DEC.) TURAN: A well-informed source in the
russian government informed the turan agency that in the first
days of october of this year, one of the leaders of the
so-called nagorno-karabakh republic appealed to the russian
government with the request to render financial and
material-technical help to nagorno-karabakh. In particular, the
leader asked for 300 millions of cash to pay off the wages
and pensions, 40,000 tons of petrol and other types of fuel and
food stuffs.
    In breach of the established agreements, the appeal,
addressed to the head of the government, was sent for the
consideration of the appropriate ministries and bodies. The
chairman of the goskomsotrudnichestvo ( state committee for
cooperation with the foreign countries ) of the russian
federation has personal presented the russian government
with the draft resolutions, advocating the backing up of the
appeal by the nagorno-karabakh leaders.
   Vice-premier shokhin commissioned the mintorgresurs ( the
ministry of trade and resources) of the russian federation and
the central bank to prepare the appropriate orders of the
government, based on these draft resolutions.
   Having received this information, the turan agency contacted
the russian government's press-service, asking them either to
deny or verify the report. A month has elapsed since that day,
and the press-service has uttered not a word on the point,
alleging numerous excuses.
   In line with that, this information has been confirmed by
the azerbaijani permanent mission in moscow.
   It is to be supposed, that such steps of the russian
government, radically contradicting the recently signed
russian-azerbaijan treaty of friendship, cooperation and mutual
security, may greatly poison the azeri-russian rapports.--0--



    AZERBAIJAN IS ADMITTED TO THE EUROPEAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

   BAKU (9 DEC.) TURAN: A telegram signed by the vise-president
of the uefa, mr. Erzik and the chairman of the headquarters of
this organization mr. Shtoff was received in baku. This telegram
informed that the azerbaijani republic was accepted for the
membership of the european football association.
   The president of the football federation of the
republic, fuad musayev, in his talk with the correspondent of
turan said that the entry of the azeri combined team
into the uefa would allow its taking part in the games
of the european championship in 1994. Also, a number of
teams of the republic will be able to take part in the european
cup competitions next year.
   But the opportunity for our athletes to take part in the
international contests is not determined only by go ahead of the
uefa, -marked musaev - we must have stadiums, hotels, means of
communications and airports which will correspond to the
international standards.--0--



    PRESIDIUM OF THE TRADE-UNION SOVIET CRITICIZES THE
    ECONOMICAL POLICY OF GOVERNMENT

   BAKU (9 DEC.) TURAN: The presidium of the azeri trade-union
soviet has issued a statement in which the economic policy
of the recent leadership is severely criticized.
   In particular, in the statement, is said that the decision
of december 1 on the rise in prices for all kinds of goods and
services put the majority of the population of the republic in
extremely hard situation. In spite the fact that, the government
increased salary for budget workers, students and pensioners by
two folds, "thousands of people will find themselves on the verge
of barley surviving" is marked in the statement.
  In opinion of the presidium of the trade-union soviet, the
government lacks the precise program of the pushing of
the economy from crisis in the period of transmission to the market
economy.  "If necessary measures are urgently not taken the azeri
trade-union would be compelled to appeal to workers to cast a vote
of no confidence to the anti-national policy of the government", -
is said in the statement.--0--



    SITUATION ON THE FRONTS REMAIN COMPLICATED

   BAKU (9 DEC.) TURAN: Today early in the morning, populated
areas in the azerbaijani regions of kalbejar and zangelan were
exposed to the shelling by tank fire from the regions of kafan
and vardeni.
   In karabakh the hardest situation had arisen in the south -
in the region of fizuli, which was exposed to the intensive
shelling from the armenian positions. "Grad" installation of the
enemy was destroyed by the retaliatory fire. Information on
victims have not been received.--0--



    WHICH LANGUAGE WILL BE OFFICIAL IN AZERBAIJAN
   BAKU (9 DEC.) TURAN: Today milli mejlis accepted in the
first reading the law "on the official language".
   The law provides, that the official language of azerbaijan is
to be used in all bodies and organizations of the country.
   The law provides also the teaching of the national languages
in the primary schools and the usage of these languages in
clerical work in the regions of habitancy of the national minorities.
    But during the discussion, unexpected controversy was arisen
on the occasion of how an official language must be called;
azerbaijani or turkic.
   By the opinion of some, it is necessary to return the
azerbaijani language the name of "turkic" - as it was called till
1938.
   By the opinion of others, it should not be done, since the
term "the turkic language" is too common notion.
   -After hot debates parliamentarians have put aside the passing
of the final decision on this issue for the next week.--0--



   ARMENIAN UNITS WENT 5 KM DEEP INTO THE AZERBAIJANI TERRITORY

   BAKU (10 DEC.) TURAN: The press-center of the azerbaijani
defence ministry reports that today, early in the morning,
after a series of heavy artillery blows delivered in the night,
armenian sub-units launched an attack from their positions in
bases of kafan-agark on the villages of seidlyar, agkend,
gazanchi, gyungishlag in the region of zangelan ( south-west of
azerbaijan.)
    The armenian infantry, supported by tanks and mi-24
helicopters, managed to go 5 km. Deep into the azerbaijani
territory. At 9:00 a.M. Local time, the violent attacks were
reported going on near the village of seidlyar, the citizens of
which had to escape.
    In the region of gubatli, neighboring the zangelan's
region, armenia sub-units also launched attacks on the
settlements of ain, tarovlu, novulu, seytag, yukhari-jibikli.
But there, their attacks turned a failure.
    Violent clashes are under way on the north of the region of
lachin since last morning.
   Since december 7, armenian sub-units 250 strong, supported
by tanks, artillery and mortar batteries, have assumed six
attacks on the height of hilyaz. All the attacks have been
repelled. The enemy lost a tank and about 30 soldiers were
killed or injured.--0--


    AZERI-ARMENIAN PEACE TALKS ARE EXPECTED

    BAKU (10 DEC.) TURAN: The talks of the representatives of
armenia and azerbaijan was held at the village of aygeovit in
the armenian region of ijevan on december 9. The sides
considered the questions on resuming of the gas deliveries,
opening of the railway traffic to nakhichevan and a number of
other problems.
    Armenian side has again proposed to resume the traffic along
the agstafa-ijevan-razdan-yerevan-nakhichevan line but not
along the zangelan-megri-ordubad's line. The azeri side initiated
the opening of the traffic along both these sections.
    Both azerbaijani and armenian representatives boosted for
participation of the defence and interior ministers of these two
states in the negotiations.
    Turan agency was credibly informed that , the meeting of the
governmental delegations of armenia and azerbaijan has been set for
december 13. The place and exact time of the meeting is kept a
secret.--0--


    AMERICAN AMBASSADOR VISITS KAZAKH

    BAKU (10 DEC.) TURAN: Ambassador of the usa to azerbaijan,
richard miles, left for the azerbaijani region of kazakh with a
fact-finding tour on december 9. The ambassador visited a number
of the kazakh's enterprises and the local mosque.
    Richard miles also visited some of the kazakh's frontier
settlements and, a bit later, met with the refugees expelled
from the region.
    The ambassador said to the press that the aim of his visit
was to become acquainted with the socio-political situation in
the hot-spots of azerbaijan.--0-



    PRESIDENT'S APPEAL TO HIS COMPATRIOTS

   BAKU (10 DEC.) TURAN: In connection with the world day of
human rights, the president of azerbaijan has appealed to his
compatriots.
   Sacred human right is the right to life, - is said in the
appeal. Encroachment on this right is considered as the hardest
crime.
   The account of lost, wounded and of men taken as hostages
in the zone of the armenian-azerbaijan conflict already reaches
thousands. This is the tragic consequences of encroachment by
armenia on the azerbaijani land.
   "Our state is able to prevent the aggression against its
citizens by military ways, but we do not lose our hope on peaceful
settlement of this problem", - is said in the appeal.--0--


    SHARP RISE IN PRICES FOR AIR TRAVEL

   BAKU (10 DEC.) TURAN: Since december 19, the prices for air
travel have increased by almost seven folds in azerbaijan.
The tickets to moscow will cost 14,300 rubles instead of 2,400
rubles, to saint-petersburg - 19,370 rubles instead of 2,900 rubles,
to kiev - 13,520 rubles instead of 2,300 rubles.
   In accordance with this fact prices for air tickets and for
interior routes are also increased.
   Since december 19 the prices for the railway tickets will also
increase, but not as much. The price of the ticket for the baku-moscow
train will be : sv - 1011 rubles, sleeping compartments
- 882 rubles, and reserved seat ticket - 369 rubles.--0--



    PRICE FOR THE US DOLLAR HAS EXCEEDED 500 - RUBLE MARK

   BAKU (10 DEC.) TURAN: Sharp increase of prices for currency
continues. At the last days of november the price of the us dollar
reached 510 rubles. The international bank of azerbaijan sold the
currency for this price. And, though at the beginning of december
the bank has lowered the selling price to 470 rubles, by experts
opinion this time was provisional occurrence and till the end of
december and the beginning of january the price of dollar would be
able to reach 600 rubles.--0--



    TER-PETROSYAN'S STATEMENT IS A POLITICAL SPECULATION

   BAKU (10 DEC.) TURAN: The chairman of the supreme soviet of
azerbaijan, isa gambarov, has announced today at the
press-conference in baku that the president ter-petrosyan's
appeal to the heads of diplomatic missions accredited in
yerevan which stressed the necessity of opening humanitarian
corridors to armenia, was aimed at sheltering of their military
plans.
   In connection with this, the head of the parliament
directed the journalists' attention to the attack of the
armenian army launched this morning in the azerbaijani region of
zangelan.
   Isa gambarov said, that armenia was not interested in ending the
blockade of the transport communications between two states,
because it gave an opportunity for armenia to devote much
attention to political speculation.  "The aim of armenia is to
strengthen their control over the annexed territories of
azerbaijan",- has marked isa gambarov.--0--


   TEN AZERI SETTLEMENTS BURNT DOWN

    BAKU (10 DEC.) TURAN: The official sources report that the
attack, launched this morning by armenian sub-units on the
south-west part of azerbaijan resulted in the capture and burning
down by the armenians aggressors of ten azeri villages.
    The reports received by this hour run that armenian
forces, breaking into the azeri villages, have killed and
injured tens of civilians.  The villages of seidlyar, gazanchi,
agkend, gyugishlag in the region of zangelan and also villages
of yukhari, ashagi jibikli, ayin, tarovlu, novulu and setaz in
the region of gubatli have been burnt to ashes.
   The military sources report that the aggressors, having taken
the villages, got to shoot down women, children and the elderly.
The villages were looted and burnt.
   At present, there is no possibility of getting a precise
number on the killed.--0--

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