From: farid@mem.odu.edu (F. H. Miandoab)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.turkish
Subject: -->>> News - Azerbaiajn <<<-- Nov. 9-14
Date: 15 Nov 1992 23:04:07 -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!
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////


   A LEADER OF ARMENIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENT VISITED BAKU

   BAKU (9 NOV.) TURAN: The deputy of armenian parliament, one
of the leaders of national movement of armenia, ashot bleyan -
the author of the appeal of 56 armenian deputies to the
leadership of armenia and Azerbaijan - visited baku and spent
two days there (7-8 november).
   During his two-day visit, ashot bleyan has met with a number
of the Azeri leaders.
    Turan agency has been informed by sources close to the
parliamentary circles that ashot bleyan had asked during the
talks for "not waiting for the moment when the political forces,
seeing the only way out of the conflict in the war as fighting to
the last man, came to power in Azerbaijan or armenia, the sides
should start direct talks now to stop the war at least".
    Azeri side expressed his understanding of the
problems disturbing the armenian deputy. But at same time,it was
outlined that the talks might be started if the armenian side
displayed his readiness to settle all the complex questions
relating to the nagorno-karabakh conflict with the questions of
returning to the status quo and withdrawal of all armenian
units from the territory of Azerbaijan among them.
   Observers in Azerbaijan think that the possibility of opening
and successful ending of the Azeri-armenian peace talks
depends greatly on whose positions in armenia proves
to be stronger - armenian national movement or dashnaks.--0--



  MUSAVAT PARTY RETURNS HOME

   BAKU (9 NOV.) TURAN: The constituent congress for
re-establishment of the musavat party - democratic party of
Azerbaijan dissolved in 1920 after the bolsheviks seized power
in Azerbaijan - was over yesterday.
   Despite the small size of the party- on the eve of the
congress it had only 2,622 members- observers
predict that the party would play one of the leading roles
in the political life of Azerbaijan. It is the most intellectual
party in Azerbaijan - 1,500 professors and university
instructors, 140 scientists and 60 representatives of the
creative intelligentsia are the members of the party.
   After 70 years of the musavat's exile, the musavat ideas
seem to be rather attractive to Azeri public at present and,
it appears that ,the Azeri society would consolidate with
this political force.
   The party, approved the blue color cloth with a half-moon
and 8-pointed star as its flag, stands for creation of a secular
democratic state that would be opened both for the west and
orient.
   Making a speech at the congress, president abulfaz elchibey
stressed the outstanding services of the party to the
national-liberation movement of Azerbaijan and called the party
"the successor of the Azerbaijani democratic republic's ideas".
   Chairman of the supreme soviet isa gambarov, elected during
the congress as a chairman of the musavat party, said "the
party has all the chances to win elections." And the chairman
has all grounds to say that. The current musavat party has been
mainly formed by the members of the popular front - the leading
political party of Azerbaijan. This process is gathering
momentum and by the spring, the musavat party may turn into
mighty well-organized force that will dominate the political
life of the republic.
   During the congress, the musavat party stressed that
settlement of the karabakh conflict is one of the main goals of
the party. The leadership of the party realizes that it is really
impossible to speak about favorable operation of any party in
Azerbaijan till the conflict is settled.--0--


   STEPANKOV HAS NOT YET APPROVED MUTALIBOV'S ARREST

  BAKU (9 NOV.) TURAN: The public prosecutor's office of russia
has not yet responded to the appeal of the Azeri interior
ministry to approve the arrest of the ex-president of Azerbaijan
ayaz mutalibov who lives in moscow at present.
   Interior minister of Azerbaijan iskander hamidov said to the
turan correspondent that it would not be an easy task to return
the ex-president back to baku. Hamidov is sure that " the
reactionary pro-communist circles in moscow are not interested
in the mutalibov's appearance before the Azeri court." The
minister announced he would do everything in his power to bring
the ex-president before the bar.--0--


  RELATIVELY STABLE SITUATION IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH

   BAKU (9 NOV.) TURAN: For the fifth straight day, the
relatively stable situation has been unbroken in
nagorno-karabakh and along the Azeri-armenian border.
   Azeri defence ministry reports that the villages of
garakend and merzeli in the region of agdam, shelled last night
were the only exceptions. The shelling was stopped by the Azeri
counter fire.--0--


   AZERI PRESIDENT'S PRESS-CONFERENCE

   BAKU (9 NOV.) TURAN: Today, president of Azerbaijan, abulfaz
elchibey, gave a press-conference devoted to the analysis of
the republic's relations with foreign states.
   Having summed up the results of the his visit to turkey,
the president said one could trace the tendency of
rapprochement of the turkic states in the economic field and
it was quite clear it would not take long time when the sides
come to a joint political decisions too. Elchibey stressed
the sides did not discuss the question of military cooperation
during the talks.
   Regarding the prospects of the Azeri-american relations,
the president expressed his opinion that the change of the
u.S. Leadership was not going to change anything in the
foreign policy of the usa.
   Responding to the question of the turan correspondent
whether the u.S. Congress's decision not to render financial
help to Azerbaijan from january 1 of 1992 would affect the
Azeri-american relations, the president said " such
discriminatory steps of washington against Azerbaijan hardly
meet the american strategic interests. While the countries
of western europe are strengthening their positions in
Azerbaijan, usa does everything to weaken its own".--0--



  FIRST STEP TO DEVELOP THE OIL FIELDS ON THE SHELF

   BAKU (10 NOV.) TURAN: After a week of intense negotiations
between the Azeri national oil company "Azerineft" and the
consortium of the western companies, such as british petroleum,
amoco, statoil, pennzoil, the sides have al last signed 5
memoranda on development of 3 oil-gas fields on the caspian
shelf.
   The memoranda include the questions of creation of a common
system of oil extraction and transportation and joint
exploitation of transport means and communication lines.
   Judging by the fact that the memoranda have failed to be
signed by the scheduled date - november 7, it could be said
that the preliminary negotiations were rather tough. Having
reached the understanding over the key matters, now, the sides
go on with detailed discussion of the terms of their future
cooperation.--0--



  ILLEGAL REMOVAL OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION FROM AzerBAIJAN
  TURNED INTO NATIONAL DISASTER

    BAKU (10 NOV.) TURAN: Deputy of the Azeri parliament, murshud
mamedov, called on the milli mejlis to consider immediately the
question on triggering off a struggle against economic sabotage.
   The Azeri customs police reports that illegal removal of
non-ferrous metals, valuable equipment and strategic raw
materials from Azerbaijan to the adjacent states turned into
real economic disaster. The presidential edicts on struggle
against economic sabotage and on strengthening of the control
over raw material and goods removal have fallen short of
expectations to stabilize the situation in Azerbaijan.
"I consider every fact of such an economic sabotage as a
political action aimed at undermining of the Azerbaijani
statehood", said mamedov.
   Due to the grave situation arisen in the republic, the milli
mejlis decided to consider the question of economic sabotage
in one of the next sessions.--0--


   FALL IN DOLLAR EXCHANGE RATE

    BAKU (10 NOV.) TURAN: The international bank of Azerbaijan
announced a ten-point fall for dollar against the ruble.
    From november 9, the bank buys and sells currencies at the
following rates:
       us dollar - 350 rubles and 400 rubles , respectively
       pound sterling - 563 rubles and 597.4 Rubles
       d. Mark - 219 rubles and 245.9 Rubles
       fr. Franc - 65.8 Rubles and 72.5 Rubles
   experts link this fall in the Azeri exchange rates to the
fall in the russian currency-exchange's  dollar rate. The
dollar exchange rate on the baku's black market fluctuates from
406 to 410 rubles a dollar.--0--



   PARLIAMENTARY REPORT ON THE KHOJALI TRAGEDY WILL BE
   BROADCASTED BY THE LOCAL TV

    BAKU (10 NOV.) TURAN: The milli mejlis of Azerbaijan
has commissioned the local tv to broadcast tomorrow the report
of the parliamentary commission for inquiry into the khojali
tragedy. On february 1992, armenian sub-units, capturing the
town, killed nearly all the khojali residents.
    The milli mejlis took such a decision after the responsible
secretary, ali omarov declared that Azeris should know the names
of those executives whose criminal negligence led to the
tragedy.--0--



   AZERBAIJAN HAS NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS

   BAKU (10 NOV.) TURAN: Chairman of the parliament isa gambarov
distributed the official statement, running that Azerbaijan had
no nuclear weapons on his territory.
   It was interior minister iskander hamidov who engineered
another political fight with his next baloney. The minister
publicly declared that he had several nuclear bombs and would
drop them on armenia, should the latter fail to stop its
aggression against Azerbaijan.
   The chairman of the parliament announced at the milli mejlis
today that such irresponsible declarations were giving rise to
the world community's distrust and might have grave
complications for the republic.
   Members of the milli mejlis also condemn the interior
minister's actions.--0--


   POUNDING OF FIZULI

    BAKU (10 NOV.) TURAN: The press-center of the Azeri defence
ministry reports that a war-plane without wing marking has
dropped several bombs on the regional center of fizuli in lower
karabakh yesterday.  Two civilians were killed and twenty
injured in the pounding.
    The military operations are reported to take place along the
south-east section of the Azeri-armenian border /region of
zangelan/. There, the Azeri armed forces' positions came under
shelling from the positions in the armenian region of
kafan.--0--



  A CONSPIRACY AGAINST THE REPUBLIC

  BAKU (11 NOV.) TURAN: The question on publication of the
national security ministry (former kgb) archives and the
names of its agents turned into the bone of contention for the
politicians of Azerbaijan.
   First deputy national security minister sulheddin akperov
declared at the milli mejlis yesterday that one of the
opposition leaders, deputy etibar mamedov had got a floppy
disc with the names of the kgb agents.
   Etibar mamedov himself, while denying this statement,
announced that chairman of the parliament isa gambarov and other
high ranks were trying to force vagif huseynov, recently
arrested ex-chief of the Azeri kgb, to confirm the information
of akperov.
   Vagif huseynov has been arrested after he publicly hinted on
the cooperation of isa gambarov with the head of the russian
foreign secret service yevgenii primakov.
   One of the former executives of the Azeri secret service has
ruled out the possibility of the gambarov's cooperation with
kgb. " Isa gambarov is one of the key-figures in the Azeri
government and that's why the foes of the current regime have
chosen him as a target" , said the executive to the turan
correspondent.
   The officer said that the drive for publication of the names
of the secret-service agents, unfolding recently in Azerbaijan,
had been inspired from outside and aimed at undermining of the
whole system of the national security of Azerbaijan. He also
stressed we could speak about the leaking of information if it was
only one ministry section to be blamed for it. "But if
several sections of the department are giving away the secret
information, then we must speak about the plot", declared
he.--0--


   ORDERS AND MEDALS OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN INSTITUTED

   BAKU (11 NOV.) TURAN: The milli mejlis has enacted a bill
on institution of the orders and medals of the republic of
Azerbaijan.
   The highest decoration of the republic has become the medal
of "golden half-moon and a star", which is granted to the
national hero of Azerbaijan. Next comes the order of
"independence". The highest military reward is the order of
"general shah ismail". The milli mejlis has also instituted the
orders of "colors of Azerbaijan", of "honor" and medals " for
motherland", "for courage", "for military service" and of
"progress".--O--


  250 SOCIAL ASSOCIATIONS OF AzerBAIJAN UNDER PROTECTION OF LAW

   BAKU (11 NOV.) TURAN: The milli mejlis passed a bill on
social associations in Azerbaijan.
   Under the law, social associations may realize their programs
in any sphere. But unlike the political parties, the social
associations have no right to enter into struggle for power.
They also have no right to participate in elections.
   The justice ministry of Azerbaijan reports that there are 250
social associations in Azerbaijan, such as ecological, legal,
cultural and guild associations.--0--


 FIRST DEPUTY GENERAL PROSECUTOR OF AZERBAIJAN CONSIDERS
 HIMSELF A VICTIM OF ARBITRARINESS

   BAKU (11 NOV.) TURAN: First deputy general public prosecutor
of Azerbaijan, matlab mutalimov, distributed a statement,
running that the presidential edict, releasing him from the
post at his own request, did not correspond with the truth.
 "I got to know about my dismissal only when the edict had been
signed", said he. Mutalimov accuses the president of another
violation of law. It has became almost a tradition in Azerbaijan
when the president dismisses and appoints high officials without
the parliament's approval.
   Mutalimov says he fell a victim of arbitrariness. It was his
attempt to obtain the interior minister hamidov's explanations
why he released 309 prisoners from custody that led to the
deterioration of his rapport with the current authorities.
   "After that, there were two attempts of hamidov to arrest
me", says mutalimov.
   The executive has also criticized the personnel policy of the
new general public prosecutor, former adviser to the president
for legal affairs, ikhtiyar shirinov.
   Mutalimov appealed to the deputies to consider this incident
at the parliamentary commission for legal affairs and put this
question on the agenda of the milli mejlis.--0--


  CENTRAL BANK OF RUSSIA CAUSES ANXIETY AMONG THE AzerI DEPUTIES


   BAKU (11 NOV.) TURAN: A group of the milli mejlis deputies
aired their concern in connection with the on-going blocking by
the central bank of russia (cbr) the financial transactions
between the russian and Azerbaijani enterprises. Deputy murshud
mamedov stressed such a practice was doing much harm to the
republic's economy.
   In september of this year, acting premier of russia yegor
gaydar during his visit to Azerbaijan has assured the members of
the government that all the obstacles on the way of the flow of
capital between these two states would be removed in no time.
But since that time, the Azeri enterprises managed to receive
only 4 of 12 billion rubles, blocked by the cbr.
   First vice-premier of Azerbaijan, vahid ahmedov, said to the
turan correspondent " behind this problem stand not the
political reasons but the complicated economic situation in
russia".
   According to the Azeri government's statistical information,
russian banks have to pay off the 3-billion-indebtedness to the
russian enterprises.
   At present, the turnover between the two states is carried
out through clearing and accounts for 6 billion rubles.
   Ahmedov stressed that to ease-off the situation, the Azeri
enterprises had to establish close economic links with other
republics. " Besides that, introduction by russia of its own
currency into circulation may help settle the problem to a
large extent", said the vice-premier.--0--


    THE COMBAT ZONE

  BAKU (12 NOV.) TURAN: The press-center of the Azeri defence
ministry reports that since last night the settlements in the
Azeri region of zangelan are coming under shelling  from the
positions in the armenian region of kafan.
  On the east of karabakh, armenian sub-units have shelled the
Azeri military positions near the village of khramort. There are
no reports on killed or injured.
  The press-center denied the armenian mass-media information on
armenian seizure of 3 villages on the north of karabakh.--0--


  KHOJALI'S EVENTS - ACT OF GENOCIDE

   BAKU (12 NOV.) TURAN: Seizure and massacre of the civil
population of the Azeri town of khojali in nagorno-karabakh in
february 25-26 of this year should be regarded as an act of
genocide. Such was a resolution  of the commission of the Azeri
supreme soviet, the report of which was presented to the
parliamentary deputies yesterday.
   The report includes the testimony of thousands of the
eye-witnesses of the tragedy, findings of forensic
medicine experts, analysis of video materials, data of
interception and so on. The report outlines that under the
conditions when the republic's leadership was practically doing
nothing to protect Azeri population in karabakh, well-armed
armenian sub-units went on with seizure and destruction of the
Azeri settlements, one after another. If it were not the 366
motorized-rifle regiment of the russian army, based in khankendi
(stepanakert) that participated in the warfare on the armenian
side, such an advance could hardly be possible.
   The commission produced the incontrovertible evidence  of
participation of 3 battalions of 366 motorized-rifle regiment,
supported by the tanks and artillery of the regiment in the
seizure of khojali.
   It has emerged from the interception reports that the russian
officers that guided the assault were paid several million
rubles for the job.
   In line with that, the commission named some russian
officers who refused to take part in the storming of khojali.
According to the commission information, all of them were shot
and their corpses together with the bodies of 20 officers and
soldiers of the regiment killed in the capture of the town were
burnt down in the regiment's hut.
   As a result of the khojali's seizure, 450 people have been
killed at least. Among them were 13 children, 51 women and
nearly 100 old men. Nobody knows about the fate of several
thousands citizens of the town, missed in the seizure.
   The eye-witnesses of the tragedy that managed to survive by
some miracle have told the commission about the atrocities
committed upon the civilian population of khojali. Just
after the capture of the town, the armenian aggressors cut
off the heads of children and soldiers of the Azeri
self-defence forces. They cut off ears, fingers and knocked out
gold crowns together with the teeth from the living victims. Two
youth were poured over with gasoline and burnt. Tens of women
and girls were raped.
   Based on the military reports, the commission has flatly
denied the armenian allegations that there was a security
corridor left for the citizens of khojali to escape to agdam.
   Regarding the actions of the Azerbaijani authorities in that
hard days, the commission stressed that criminal negligence and
inertia of the Azeri leadership, defence ministry, interior
ministry, national security ministry and others had led to the
situation when the town's population was left to the mercy of
fate and when the countdown had come they failed to protect and
even to evacuate the civil population of khojali.
   The results and conclusions of the parliamentary
investigation gave rise to many deputies' questions. It was
decided to continue the consideration of the commission's report
this evening.--0--



  "DICTATORSHIP AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY ARE INCOMPATIBLE"

    BAKU (12 NOV.) TURAN: Today chairman of the Azeri parliament
isa gambarov announced during the press-conference that there
were signs of stabilization of internal political situation in
Azerbaijan.
    But the head of the parliament stressed that the aggression
of the republic of armenia against Azerbaijan turned into the
obstacle on the way of Azerbaijan to full independence and
was hampering the reforms in economy and policy. In connection
with that, isa gambarov declared that the leadership of the
republic intended to achieve a solution to the karabakh
conflict now, wishing "not to lay this burden on the shoulders
of the next generation".
    Isa gambarov denied the statements on the oncoming
dictatorship. "Dictatorship and prosperity of economy are the
things incompatible to each other. But centralization of power
is really necessary in the time of creation of the new state
structures and economic links ", said he.
   Isa gambarov called on the political parties to ease-off or
to suspend their political activities to avoid the aggravation
of the inner political situation in the transitional period.--0--


     RAHIM GAZIEV: "IF DASHNAKS WIN IN ARMENIA,THE WAR WOULD
     BECOME MORE CRUEL"

    BAKU (12 NOV.) TURAN: As it is known, one of those
with whom the deputy of armenian parliament ashot baleyan has
met during his visit to baku was the minister of defence of
Azerbaijan rahim gaziev.
   During the talks with the turan correspondent gaziev said
that some representatives of the armenian leadership didn't have
slightest idea about the events which took place in karabakh.
If the military operations goes on, armenia, the economy of which
has been already undermined, would find itself in a desperate
position.  That is the reality. Nevertheless, they hope that a
turning-point will change the situation in favor of armenia.
  It was said to ashot baleyan that such kind of error would
bring much harm to armenia. They would do their best to
give up such illusions. "But there is one thing that is beyond
the doubt - as gaziev said - if dashnaks win in armenia, the war
would become more cruel".  Regarding the last military
operations in karabakh, the minister of defence mentioned that
the information of armenian sources about the capture of three
villages on the north of karabakh did not correspond with the
reality. " Armenian sub-units have taken the villages because
there were no Azeri soldiers in them. But several hours later,
armenians left these villages without a fight and Azeri
sub-units entered them without a shot. By spreading such
allegations and tales as if Azeri aviation has bombed its own
positions, armenian side tries to raise the fighting spirit of
its soldiers who have been avoiding heavy clashes with us". --0--



  AZERI PARLAMENTARIES AGAINST THE FEDERATION SYSTEM IN
  AZERBAIJAN

    BAKU (13 NOV.) TURAN: Today in baku, in course of the
"round-table-talks" of the parliamentaries of russia and
Azerbaijan, Azeri deputies rejected the proposal of their
russian colleagues to introduce a federative or confederative
system in Azerbaijan.
    Chief of the department for international affairs under the
supreme soviet of Azerbaijan, namik akhundov announced Azerbaijan
guaranteed cultural autonomy to the national minorities and there
was no need for national-territorial division.
    Regarding the question about the armenian minority in
Azerbaijan, akhundov stressed that question should be regarded
on a parity principle with armenia, from which 200,000 Azeris
had been driven out.--0--


     INVENTORY CHECK IS TO TAKE PLACE IN MUSEUMS

   BAKU (13 NOV) TURAN: Yesterday the republic leadership gave
an order to close and to seal up all museums for three days.
   The state secretary of the republic, panah huseynov, announced
that it was a forced step taken as a result of many recent cases
of valuable museum exhibits being stolen and removed abroad.
   Within these three days, all exhibits will be inventoried and
the inventory lists be passed to the appropriate bodies and
also to the customs committee.
   After that the museums' door will be again opened. --0--



     AN ARMENIAN HELICOPTER IS SHOT DOWN

   BAKU (13 NOV) TURAN: A mi-24 military helicopter of the
armenian air forces was shot down yesterday in the region of
fizuli, near the village of hajar by Azerbaijani anti-aircraft
fire.
   The helicopter was shot down on its return trip from the
bombardment of Azerbaijani villages. --0--



    PARLIAMENTARIANS OF RUSSIA AND AZERBAIJAN MEET IN BAKU


   BAKU (13 NOV) TURAN: The second summit of the representatives
of both russian and Azerbaijan parliaments took place today in baku.
   During the talks, deputies of both states will discuss a wide
range of questions, concerning bilateral relations among these two
states and the ways to settle the armenian-Azerbaijan conflict.
   The first summit of representatives took place in baku in
october 17-19, 1992. --0--



    THE MQC FINAL WILL NOT GO THROUGH

   BAKU (13 NOV) TURAN: The final match of "merry and quick
club" of 1992  of the armenian and Azerbaijan teams would
never take place.
   The chairman of the Azerbaijani supreme soviet isa gambarov
informed the journalists during the press-conference that the
armenian team had refused to take part in the final game.
   As it become known, the guidance of the mqc is going to
announce both teams as winners. But the Azeri team "fellows
from baku" considers that decision as unjust. "We are ready to
meet and we are sure of our victory"-  said "fellows from baku".
--0--



 FRESH UPSURGE OF MILITARY ACTIVITIES ON THE SOUTH-WEST OF
 AZERBAIJAN

    BAKU (13 NOV.) TURAN: Azeri defence ministry reports on the
second day of intense military activities in the combat
zone.
    Yesterday night, an Azeri soldier was killed and another
injured in the battle for the Azeri village of basharat in the
region of kubatli. Azeri artillery delivered a hard blow
yesterday on the positions of armenian expeditionary corps in
the occupied part of the region of lachin.
   Brush-fire battles were observed on the north of karabakh -
in the direction of agdash-farrukh.--0--



  DETERIORATION IN THE AzerI-RUSSIAN RELATIONS IS HARDLY
  PROBABLE

    BAKU (13 NOV.) TURAN: Responding to the turan
correspondent's question about the prospects of the
Azeri-russian co-operation, chairman of the Azeri parliament isa
gambarov said that the sides had " a good will" to implement the
intergovernmental agreements for 1993 on cooperation in
economic, cultural and other spheres.
   Isa gambarov said there was a small possibility of the
new political forces' advent to power in russia. "Both from
political and tactical point of view, president yeltsin is a
strong and forward-looking politician.  And he proved that once
again when removed galina starovoytova from  the post of the
presidential adviser for national problems."
  The head of the parliament thinks that even if the change of
government takes place in russia, deterioration in the
Azeri-russian relations is hardly probable as " the
oppositional forces in russia are also standing for good
neighborly relations with Azerbaijan".--0--




    ISA GAMBAROV WARNS STEREOTYPES ARE VERY DANGEROUS


   BAKU (14 NOV.) TURAN: "Azerbaijan does not need any
humanitarian aid", said chairman of the Azeri parliament isa
gambarov to the turan correspondent in connection with the
usa congress's recent decision not to render humanitarian help
to Azerbaijan till the republic lifts blockade from armenia.
  Gambarov thinks such a resolution has been rammed through
the congress due to the pressure of the armenian lobby.
  "If it were not so, the usa would impose similar sanctions
against armenia, who is blockading the republic of nakhichevan,
too."
  The chairman expressed his deep concern in connection with
the fact that negative image of Azerbaijan, created in the
u.S., Might affect the republic's relations with other western
countries.
  "What is yet more dangerous is that such a course of events may
give start to creation of a negative attitude within the
Azerbaijan towards the christian world. But we don"t want
that", - said isa gambarov.--0--


    A CONSTITUTIVE CONFERENCE OF FREE WORKERS

    BAKU (14 NOV) TURAN: Today a constitutive conference of
the union of free workers of Azerbaijan took place in baku.
   Ufwa was founded by one of the working leaders  of the
national-liberation movement, neymat panahli.
   The main aim of organizing committee is to create free
institutes for self-government based on national consciousness
and originality, and defending social-economic rights of
the workers.
   About three hundred delegates as well as representatives of
different political and public organizations take part in this
conference. --0--


 "NETASH" MODERNIZES THE BAKU'S TELEPHONE NETWORK
   BAKU (14 NOV.) TURAN: Today the turkish firm of "netash"
together with the workers of the Azeri communication service
have opened, ahead of time, two cable telephone exchanges.
Each of them will serve 10 thousands of the baku's subscribers.
   Total length of the modernized fiber-optic line is 70 kilometers.
  "Netash" has embarked on the program of transition the
telephone network of baku to the electronic-figure basis.
Turkish experts promise to modernize the whole telephone
network of baku by the end of 1993.
   A representative of the "netash" said to the turan
correspondent that the firm guaranteed the qualitative and
effective operation of the new telephone exchanges that
would link the citizens of baku to 199 countries all over
the world.--0--


 AZERBAIJANI STUDENTS GOING TO TURKEY

   BAKU (14 NOV) TURAN: The first group of Azerbaijani students
passing their entrance examinations to the turkish universities,
left for ankara.
   All in all, 1,231 Azeri school-graduates entered the turkish
universities this summer. All of them will leave for neighbor
country within  this week.
   Earlier in the beginning of november, 468 youths and girls
went out for studies to turkish schools and colleges.
   Both Azeri and turkish examiners examined the school-graduates
strictly. Turkish side bears the whole of the expenses for
study of the Azeri students. --0--


   MILITARY ACTIVITIES ON THE NORTH OF KARABAKH INTENSIFYING

   BAKU (14 NOV.) TURAN: The press-center of the Azeri defence
ministry reports that military activities have intensified
recently in the combat zone.
   On the north of karabakh, armenian sub-units, attempting to
take the military initiative in their hands, have launched a
new series of attacks. At present, battles are going on near
the villages of sirkhavend, dovshanli (arachadzor), vanklu and
childirlan.
   Yesterday late in the evening, after a number of failed
attacks on the positions of the Azeri national army in this
region, armenian sub-units had to retreat, leaving a tank,
two bmp-s and several killed on the battle field.
   In the region of lachin, occupied for several months by
armenians, military activities grew more intense too. The
positions of the Azeri army both on the north and south of
the region were shelled by different arms.--0--



    GENERAL SECRETARY OIC IN BAKU.

   BAKU (14 NOV) TURAN: Delegation of organization of islamic
conference has been already staying in the capital of
Azerbaijan for the second day. At the head of the delegation
is general secretary, dr. Hamid al habibi.
   Yesterday, president of republic abulfaz elchibey received
the delegation. This visit is aimed mainly at building a secular
society and to restore islamic religion and culture. During
the talk the president marked that Azerbaijan accounted this
visit of high delegation of oic in baku in such a hard time
for the country as a token of attention and respect of islamic
world towards the state.
   Thanking for the reception , doctor hamid al habibi
expressed his opinion that oic should take more effective part
in restoring of independence of Azerbaijan state and entering of
the republic the rank of developed and prosperous countries of
islamic world.
   Today doctor hamid al habib and persons escorting him will
meet with representatives of parliament, public. They will visit
ecclesiastical government of muslims of caucasus. Tomorrow
members of delegation of oic will leave for iran.--0--


           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
             T U R A N    N E W S    A G E N C Y
                    Baku - Azerbaijan
                Phone: (8922) 66-7977  66-7833
                    Fax: (8922) 66-2009
                   Telex: 142168 META SU
           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\