From: FHM100F@ODUVM.BITNET (FARID)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.mideast
Subject: News from Azerbaijan-Turan News Agency
Date: 17 Apr 92 02:03:26 GMT
Organization: Old Dominion University Computer Services

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 Centerreported 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 DeConccini 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
Silken Enterprise Party, member of Armenian Parliament Presidium and a member of
the Presidential Council). Armenian leadership planned to install Kocharyan as
the
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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