From: HQ.GGG@FORSYTHE.STANFORD.EDU
Newsgroups: soc.culture.turkish
Subject: News/Haber--Azerbaijan
Date: 17 Apr 92 05:45:40 GMT
Reply-To: Turkish Cultural Program List <TRKNWS-L%USCVM.BITNET@forsythe.Stanford.EDU>


 FARID
 FHM100F@oduvm.cc.odu.edu

The following news is reported by the Turan News Agency of Azerbaijan.

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                        AZERI HELICOPTER SHOOT DOWN

Baku, 04/13/92, Turan, Azerbaijan Defense Ministry Press Center
reported that Armenian armed forces continued shelling of more than 10
Azeri villages in Karabakh region killing two persons and injuring
one. The report also said that a heavy Armenian troop and military
equipment build-up has started in the border region of Terter and
Fizuli.

During the last 24 hours, 15 Azeri villages in Kazakh, Tauz, and
Gubaldi regions were under Armenian artillery attack injuring 6
civilians and destroying several Houses.  In Fizuli region, an Azeri
transport helicopter (MI 8) was shot down killing all three crew men.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan Self Defense Forces recaptured the Azeri village
of Jamilli which was seized by Armenians on April 11.

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                UKRAINIANS AND AZERIS SHARE A COMMON GOAL

Baku, 04/13/92, Turan: Demobilization of Ukrainian CIS troops
stationed in Azerbaijan will begin sometimes this year and will
continue into 1993. This was reported as an Ukrainian Military
Delegation arrived in Baku to hold talks discussing the future of
Ukrainian military personnel in the CIS troops serving in Azerbaijan.
Colonel Piotr Yuzifovich, Chief of Ukrainian Delegation said that
Azerbaijan and Ukraine both share a common position which is to create
their own national armies.

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                THERE CAN BE NO PEACE WITHOUT COMPROMISES

Baku,  04/13/92,  Turan: Azeri Parliament chairman, Yagub Mamedov,
today received the American Congressional Delegation headed by
Congressman Denis DeConcini who said that Azerbaijan can rely on CSCE
and other international organizations' help to find an amicable
settlement to the Karabakh conflict. He also said that Ter-Petrosyan,
the president of Armenia, has discussed with him an Armenian peace
plan which will be presented by the Armenian president during the
upcoming Minsk peace conference.

During the meetings with the American delegation, Azerbaijani
officials will discuss Russia's role in the conflict. The Azerbaijani
government believes that the only side who benefits from the conflict
is Russia, and ending the conflict solely lies with Russia.

Congressman Denis DeConccini told Turan News Agency: "...These two
Republics both talk about peace. But, talk is not enough. The peace
would be reached if only both sides make real compromises in
territorial questions and on the question of power...".


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                AZERBAIJANI MILITIA HAS THE MOST DISFRANCHISED STATUS

Baku,  04/13/92,  Turan: Azerbaijani Republic's Militia personnel took
to the streets of Baku in front of the Municipal Building of the
Interior Affairs Department.  About 10, 000 protesters demanded wage
increases and a direct meeting with their boss,  Bakhtiar Aliev,  the
Director of Interior Affairs,  who promised to consider the protester's
demands. He said to Turan News Agency that the Militia personnel in
Azerbaijan always has had the most disfranchised status ,  and time has
come to correct the situation.

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                        CONTINUED SHELLING OF AZERI VILLAGES

Kazakh, 04/14/92, TURAN: Azeri villages of Mazam,  Gushchu-Airum and
Ashagi Askipara bordering Armenia were subjected to Tank and Infantry
Combat Vehicle fire from the Armenian positions in Ijevan starting
yesterday. One person was killed and six injured in the shelling. This
attack is taking place in violation of a cease-fire agreement reached
by the representatives of the two Republics who met in Kazakh on April
11. It has been reported that the Armenians  have transferred a number
of "T-72" Tanks and "GRAD" Rocket-launchers towards the Gubatli region
in Azerbaijan.

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                        PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Baku, 04/14/92, TURAN: Chairman of the Azerbaijan Social-Democratic
Party,  Araz Alizade,  has demanded equal representation for the members
of the ASDP and Azerbaijan Popular Front in the activities of the
election commission. He expressed his doubt about election being
without violations.

A rally of the students and instructors of the Baku Industrial Academy
was held to demand a reversal of the Academy leadership decision on
nominating parliament chairman,  Yagub Mamedov,  to the post of the
president. The ralliers threatened an open end strike if their demand
was not met.

A public-opinion poll of 1500 Baku residents by "EL-OBA",  an
independent center for social studies,  ranked Heidar Aliev,
Nakhichevan Supreme Ruling Board Chair,  Abulfas Elchibek,  APF chairman
and Etibar Mamedov,  chairman of National Independence Party as the
most respected politicians. A majority of the respondents,  35.3%,
would like to see Elchibek of the Azerbaijan Popular Front as
president as opposed to 28% for Aliev and 3.8% for Mamedov. It should
be noted that the Constitution of Azerbaijan requires that people
running for the office of President be no older than 65. Aliev is 68
years old.

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                WHAT IS BEHIND THE MURDER OF ARTHUR MKRTCHAN

Baku, 04/15/92, TURAN: Observers in Azerbaijan view the murder of Arthur
Mkrtchan in Karabakh as another sign of an ongoing power struggle
between the Armenian National Movement and the radical opposition
forces. Since carrying out a referendum on creating the so-called
"Nagorno-Karabakh Republic" in Dec. 1991,  a political shift has taken
place in Karabakh. The preliminary spade-work on carrying out the
parliament elections had been entrusted to supporter of the Armenian
National Movement,  Robert Kocharyan (ex-secretary of the Karabakh
Silke president of the so-called "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic". It is
believed that election of the Arthur Mkrtchan aged 33 (member of
Dashnaktsutyun Party,  Head of Hadrut Museum of Regional Studies) as
the "NKR" president instead of Kocharyan was the result of the visit
of a delegation headed by Armenian Parliament Deputy ,  Seiran
Bagdasayan (leader of the Dashnaktsutyun opposition group) from
Yerevan to Nagorno-Karabakh. After that visit the Dashnaks gained 21
of the 48 seats in the parliament. Since this change,  Yerevan's
backing of the "NKR" would mean strengthening of the Dashnaktsutyun
party's role and authority in the region. Yerevan officials could not
help but feel irritated on this. Earlier attempts by Arthur Mkrtchan
to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with the help of Minister's
Cabinet and Armenian Parliament very often had met resistance by the
Armenian National Movement supporters. Similarly,  attempts by the
Armenian National Movement to settle the problem with the help of the
Ministry of Interior Affairs and Ministry of Defense did not include
Dashnaks. Azerbaijani observers think that the murder will exacerbate
the political crisis in Armenia and aggravate the situation in
Karabakh.

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                        MEMORIES OF A PRISONER

Baku, 04/15/92, TURAN: Chairman of the Azerbaijan National Independence
Party,  Etibar Mamedov,  a candidate for the post of President,  will
publish his diary of the days he was imprisoned in the Lefortovo
prison from Jan. 26 to July 6,  1990. Etibar Mamedov was arrested as
the leader of the Azerbaijan Popular Front at the Azerbaijani
Permanent Representation in Moscow by the ex-USSR special services.
His arrest took place after the Soviet troops moved in Baku. No one
has seen the diary which is said "to shed light on the darkness
covering those days and clear many thing to people".

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