Analytical center Voskanapat

Spatial insufficiency of Armenia

Грант — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 13:14:49 GMT

Even if it would be possible to establish lasting peace, the one who would forego internal readiness for the physical fight will eventually lead to death.

Karl Jaspers

Analysis of states’ geopolitical power makes possible to assert that there are two states in the region of Asia Minor and South Caucasus that could be distinguished out of seven. Armenia (under Armenia we mean the Republic of Armenia and Artsakh Republic) is in the second, weaker group, which includes all post-Soviet South Caucasus states; however, the aggregate consideration of criteria of states’ power let us state that Armenia pulls ahead in the second group of countries. The first among outsiders, this role hardly can become complacent.

Current Armenian tendencies to blame only authorities in all problems are one-sided and/or show unwillingness and inability to perceive realities adequately. Armenia experiences difficulties not only because of government’s mistakes or incompetence which in some cases also take place, but because of its spatial, geopolitical insufficiency.

Any nation (state) needs living space, providing it dynamic development. Narrowing of nation’s living space that often happed violently inevitably turns into intra-national stress, deterioration of nation’s social conditions, and, as consequence, people’s exodus from the country. Modern Armenia experiencing spatial insufficiency is sad confirmation of aforesaid. That is why in the medium term Armenia should be considered as a model-prototype of the future self-sustaining Armenian state, able to accommodate required number of indigenous population ensuring its spatial - geopolitical significance.

State endowed with spatial adequacy able to accommodate and provide decent life to large number of people. Herewith, area of state and number of its population are not in direct to each other. Even small increase in state’s area, with condition of spatial insufficiency liquidation is able to provide dramatic increase in number of its population, create conditions for repatriation and significant increase in birth rate.

Despite great importance of territory, state’s spatial sufficiency is not in direct proportion from size of its area. In the first place, it’s provided by innate (natural) borders, free enters to internationally important transport communications, several climatic zones and other factors. From this perspective, it should be recognized that Armenian spatial insufficiency is mainly caused by lack of natural borders and free enter to transport communications.

Artsakh war, despite military successes of Armenian side, hasn’t solved these problems, and therefore it cannot be considered victorious. Reintegration of limited part of the Armenian territories wasn’t conducive to solve the problem, since natural borders are possible only in south and north (Mravsky range). Meanwhile, existing eastern border of NKR, in its entirety, is "oppressive factor” substantially limiting spatial sufficiency of Armenian states.

To some extent factor of spatial Armenian insufficiency affects Azerbaijan too. Consider that Western border of this formation has same disadvantages, that NKR’s eastern border, since there no natural obstacles or barriers. Conclusion from the foregoing can’t have another interpretation: existing steppe border sooner or later must undergo correction, since it cannot suit Armenia or Azerbaijan.

Today Yerevan, Stepanakert, and Baku prepare, perhaps unconsciously, to future border’s change. Information war started by Azerbaijan is critical component of preparatory work; we have no right to underestimate it. Azerbaijan’s purpose clear: "move” border to Syunik mountain range. Our task should be as clear determined, according to geopolitical laws (political geography), Armenian-Azerbaijani border should be established on Kura river. As you can understand, the matter here is not only in restoration of historical justice, although this fact should be taken into account.

Specifically, Koura must be perceived as natural border between Armenia and its extremely hostile neighbor. Of course, would be wrong to idealize this river as natural border; however, for current military-technical Azerbaijan’s abilities actually small and not very deep Koura is fairly insurmountable and, conversely, easily protected barrier.

Transfer of border to Koura, among other things, has essential value for partial elimination of Armenia’s spatial insufficiency, which shortly benefit country’s development.

Armenia and Azerbaijan both clearly understand their problem; hopefully I make mistake but Baku prepares to solve them more actively than Armenian capitals. This confirmed by Azerbaijan’s huge information activity, aimed on weakening and reducing Armenian nation’s possibilities and undermining its international image. Mentioned propagandic Azerbaijan’s activity must be perceived as threat requiring adequate response of Armenia’s national security. We’ve been challenged, and we are obliged to react accordingly, since our result to some extent depends on it, same as result of unavoidable collision. Adequate response requires not only effort’s consolidation, which is very important, but also study of pros and cons of both sides. Thus, Armenia is the only state of region that has no preconditions for civil war. Completely different situation in other states of the region, with exception of Iran where under certain circumstances also possible ethnic clashes (province Azerbaijan and Kurds supported by Ankara).

Armenia’s policy toward Azerbaijan (and not only) must be preventive, including enemy weaknesses: existence of ethnic, religious and racial conflicts among Azerbaijani population along with unformed nation, cultivation of Aliev’s despotism and expressed social inequality, corruption etc… Term "preemption” doesn’t indicate purely military action. Military actions caused only by exceptional necessity, when all other methods of success achievement are exhausted. Resorting to use military force would be justified only after thorough work of ideology, intelligence and studying enemy strengths and weaknesses.

In turn, Armenia need to get rid of the same corruption, eliminate gaps in social integration, develop united position on priorities of foreign policy…

War didn’t end, it’s just (temporarily?) took different character. At this stage, Armenia obligated to use:

a) high scientific and intellectual potential;

b) better (comparing to neighbors) possession of modern technology achievements;

c) population’s ideology;

d) Army’s depoliticization;

e) impeccable society organization based on national traditions;

f) constant engagement of nation’s spiritual forces…

All mentioned and not mentioned components of Armenia’s readiness to confrontation and armed conflicts are equally important, and their priority could be changed at will. Since refusal of internal readiness for the fight will eventually lead to death.

Levon MELIK-SHAHNAZARYAN

War – the evil, but dreams about peace are utopian

Грант — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 19:53:09 GMT

The article was published year ago. Now published with some changes and additions)

Sun-tzu

The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand. With many scores one can win; with few scores one cannot. How much less chance of victory has one who gets no scores at all!

Best thing of all is to take the enemy's country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not so good. So, too it is better to recapture an army entire than to destroy it, to capture a regiment, a detachment or a company entire than to destroy them. A victorious army first wins and then seeks battle.

Al - Mawardi

When reasonable person risking he should make sure that for what he takes risk is preferable than to what he risks

Joseph de Maistre

War is sacred; it is instituted by God; it is one of the divine laws of the world.

K. von Clausewitz

War - an act of violence whose object is to constrain the enemy, to accomplish our will.

V. Malinovskiy

Wars correspond neither to philanthropy nor education. They could be excusable for our ancestors, when they were plunged in barbarism and didn’t know another glory except to ravage and kill.

M. Renon

War is pointless, terrible, insulting ordinary common sense and religious feeling, sense of beauty and morality, violates everything beautiful and good that exist.

Reader may resent the abundance of the given above quotations, for this reason I restrain from further appeals to authorities. General idea seems clear: wars are inevitable. If so, if we are doomed to live in the world without peace, then being in constant readiness for the possible war becomes a pressing need for any state, every person. Periods of peace must be used to prepare for war.

However, it could be called readiness for war. For example, the philosophy of Arab sages teaches that one should always be at enmity during wars, and between them. Being at enmity by making peace. Not excluded that such philosophy originated and was developed as direct consequence of Prophet Muhammad’s Quranic sayings "war - is the path of deception”, "war - is deception”.

Chinese wise men called to destroy enemy states in breaks between wars. Master the country, enslave it without war, without victims and destruction - is the highest art of war in understanding Chinese philosophers. War without battles, to some extent this idea calls up with the Arab philosophy.

The European thought is less "delicate” and speaks much more specific, without extra ornateness: war either unconditional evil or law of human existence. As the last war surely could not be evil.

I’ll say banality: history doesn’t recognize subjunctive. Expression "if” is not for historians, and therefore let’s agree with axiom: war has always been the most powerful engine of technological progress. Let’s renounce thoughts and abstract reasoning on topic: what would happen, if something would not happen. Or, contrary, if something would happen. We have what we have: history of humanity, woven from wars. Wars that were of different intensity, with different consequences for warring people and countries, with varying quantity of victims. At the same time, we have another reality: wars on planet didn’t cease and in foreseeable future, they won’t cease. Slightly paraphrasing known Russian saying, we can say: don’t abdicate from scrip and war.

We often hear: man is aggressive by nature, therefore wars take place. This is well thought-out or mindlessly repeated lie: wars are not always manifestations of aggression. Often war is vital need. However, in this case mostly could be mentioned defensive war. In fact, what aggression outburst can we talk about when people were attacked and forced to protect themselves? What kind of aggression do we talk about from the side of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’ population that underwent direct military aggression by Azerbaijan? Or what kind of aggression could be meant from the side of Poland populations that experienced all "charms” of double aggression from the sides of Germany and USSR simultaneously in 1939?

On the other side, we must recognize that war is possible only if population of two warring countries is "consent” to war. "Consent” in this case could be understood as moral (in the first place) and physical (to a lesser extent) willingness of state’s (or country’s*) population to defend their sovereignty, or their own state’s (or country’s) values. Convincing example of "dissent” to war is the intrusion of American troops in Iraq and the occupation of this state. As known, Iraq didn’t defend itself, although, from a military point of view, it had all opportunities to do so. Anyway, the course of military actions (USA attacked Iraq on March 20th, 2003, and on April 9th capital of Iraq – Baghdad was captured. On April 15th, when Tikrit city was captured war was actually ended.) Symptomatic, that after war in Iraq there were found numerous perfectly serviceable combat aircraft buried in the sand.

Another disagreement to war is invasion of Iraqi troops in Kuwait in August 1990. War started and… ended during one day. Most of Kuwait’s combat aviation flew away to Saudi Arabia and after that some of the army "left”. Others preferred to give up. There are more examples, but the point seems clear. If state disagrees to war, then there is no war. It either fulfills all the requirements of potential enemy, thus attempting to avoid war, or simply surrenders to the mercy of an aggressive enemy.

Agreement (or willingness) of state to war is obviously more often, and each of us can list dozens of such examples. In this case, "consent” often doesn’t depend on human and military resources of the state, which is a confirmation of moral willingness of state’s population to war. Let’s have only one example as evidence close enough on time and well known in the Armenian world. When in 1988 population of Karabakh asked for the decision on reunification with Armenia, the overwhelming majority of its population didn’t expect strong reaction in Azerbaijan, which eventually grew into a military aggression. However, the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh were agree to war, which became determining factor in the outcome of Azerbaijan’s aggression, whose residents despite the government, were not agree to war.

Karabakh’s population almost unarmed and quantitatively dozen times lower than Azerbaijan’s was able to resist aggression and break blockade. Following these impressive results with the help of volunteers from Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic was able to free native Armenian territory which was for more than seventy years under control of Azerbaijan Republic.

Thus, fighting capacity of the state, its consent to war largely depends on morale of population. The point here is not about military-technical component of combat effectiveness (defense) of state - it is in direct dependence from economic and political empowerment of the state. We talk about moral willingness that also called state of spirit, readiness of large part of population to sacrifice lives for the sake of state’s survival.

After the publication of Gumilev’s famous works became natural to assume that moral combat efficiency of population directly depends in quantity (percentage) of passionaries. In fact, passionaries in many respects determine nation’s potential energy; however, we have to admit that "passionate” and "patriot” are far from being identical terms. Internal potential of man, his life force are often directed only on solution of his individual problems, without regard on nation’s or state’s interests. Passionaries are also basic "material” for recruiting criminals. Hard to doubt that energetic, assertive and decisive in their actions captains of business, or, for example, criminal bosses are expressed passionaries.

Certainly, among important businessmen and criminals could be found patriotic men; however, it’s safe to say that percentage of patriotically disposed people among them is significantly inferior to the same index among, for example, people of intellectual work. Meanwhile if state cannot help to increase the number of passionaries citizens (modern science can’t explain reasons of their origin), anyway it’s obliged to contribute population’s patriotic training.

There is a statement of outstanding Armenian soldier and philosopher Karekin Nzhdeh - "Ignorance, selfishness and betrayal - are three irreconcilable enemies of patriotism”, truly, since cad and egoist, not to mention betrayer, can’t be patriots.

Patriotism - is disinterested and selfless service to the Motherland, to native people, the all-consuming sublime love… But patriotism should not and must not be fanatically blind. True patriotism is based on knowledge, conscious sense of ownership of the historic homeland, state. This conscious feeling is cultivated on the knowledge of people’s history, its ideology and philosophy. Cad’s patriotism is similar to chicken’s attachment, hatched from the planted egg and following first moving creature it saw.

Egoist also can’t be patriot, since it sees country for himself, not himself for the Motherland. Egoist can’t be Motherland’s Soldier, and here we talk not only about battlefield. Actually, egoist and betrayer – are twins, for whom personal interests are placed above people’s interests. Patriotism, population’s commitment to state’s interests, dedication of individuals to nation’s interests, conscious internal readiness for infringing own interests for the sake of national interests, propaganda of this ideology among the population is state’s primary responsibility. Patriotism ideology should become a foundation for entire state building.

Deeply mistaken, indeed, criminally, passion that imposed by the outside "fashionable” ideological flows, rejecting patriotic ideology. "Fashionable” phrase "patriotism - the last refuge of a scoundrel” is nothing but patriotic quote of S. Johnson’s who believed that patriotism for scoundrels – is last chance to revive moral and justify life. However, this expression was intentionally reinterpreted, and in fact vulgarized by people fighting with patriotism among…representatives of another nation.

Almost for sure could be said, most people blaming patriotism, fighting best they can with it, are expressed… patriots of their nation. As a rule, their "anti-patriotic” activity is directed toward the other nations, their aim – is to weaken in potential enemy feeling of sacrificial commitment to his own people and state.

Word – is a strong weapon, well-chosen word or phrase is long-acting weapon. Today Armenia, Armenian people (incidentally, not only Armenian) is under massive ideological aggression, camouflaged into "fashionable”, visually appealing verbal expressions. State’s matter is not only to neutralize this, at first glance, bloodless aggression, but also develop its own ideological machine. In basis should be values cultivated by our ancestors, and therefore acceptable and understandable for the people.

We need awareness of the immutable fact that patriotic, nation-oriented state is crucial element of power and prosperity. National ideology brings solution for many issues of state importance. These are - reducing of shadow economy, increasing tax collection, electing not "convenient” but decent candidate, raising people’s intellectual level (to learn bad is unpatriotic), increasing law-abiding and reducing overall crime, preserving scientific discoveries in country etc.

Naive to assume, that all above-mentioned vices are completely absent in nation-oriented society. On the other hand, there are no doubts that state with prevailing patriotic ideology is capable on many achievements, impossible in other circumstances.

Finally, let’s return to the top, the nation-oriented state, tirelessly promotes national values and patriotism, always prepared to demonstrate "consent” to war. Under conditions of Armenian states it is the most important adequate response on existing external challenges. Moreover, the more expressed state’s "consent” to war, the less chances it would be ever subjected to aggression. If Arab philosophy considered correct to be at enmity by making peace, then our goal must be different - LIFE IN THE CONSENT.

Levon MELIK-SHAHNAZARYAN

*Borders of state and country (territory, perceived by people’s consciousness and ethnic memory as Motherland - often don’t coincide.) So, extensive Armenian territories located under Turkey jurisdiction are perceived by Armenians as Armenian Country.

Azerbaijan - Domodedovo. Nature and origins of the attack

Грант — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 13:47:16 GMT

Starting January 24, many articles in international media begin with "terrorist attack in Moscow’s airport Domodedovo”, after the title there are some lengthy arguments about unavailability of Russian authority to resist organized crime and, as a result need for Russia to "let Caucasus go”. Especially, touches the refrain lines about innocent victims, though everyone knows who is "guilty”, even if culprits are known who has right to lynch.

At first glance, written in these articles correspond to the reality: the power in Russia is still unable to cope with terror; Caucasus, to be frank, is in flame of radical religious ideology and –consequently– terror acts and people are dying without fault. Still the most terrible, people will continue to die, because, inter alia, and of these above mentioned articles. For such is the nature of terror.

Terror - is not a diversion, and aftermath of terrorist attack doesn’t end with the end of act of terror. If sabotage act is directed toward the weakening of state’s military power and its action ends with the very act of sabotage, then the value of terrorist attack prolonged in time and aimed to change population’s political views of the state underwent the terrorist attack. In this sense, publications "relishing” the terror act voluntarily or involuntarily extend the period of panic and confusion (not to speak - fear) among the population that completely consistent with terrorists goal. These articles contribute to the fact that then framed by journalists as "authority’s unavailability to resist the organized crime”.

Of course, I don’t appeal to suppress terrorist attacks – it’s impossible to do in any case – there is another issue: methods and form of information’s presentation. Not allowed to hurt human’s psyche that already got psychological blow. Erroneous, (to put it mildly) to spread the fear in population and contribute terrorists in achieving their goal. Don’t forget that word "terror” is translated as "fear”, "horror”. Not allowed to inspire terrorists sitting in front of TV set and enjoying the effect of their crime.

Similar approach to terrorist attack contributes new acts, prevents the study of terrorist attacks nature, and doesn’t let correctly understand causes and terrorists’ goals. There appear problems with identification and neutralization of terrorist organizations, and the elimination of causes generating attacks. The fight against terrorism must be complex, and loss of one component can negate the entire work.

Let’s emphasize, intentional distortion of "terror” concept prevents the fight against terror. Here we talk about intentional distortion of this concept, when acts of sabotage are "confused” with terrorist attacks. Meanwhile acts of sabotage aimed on weakening of enemy’s military power, and its action ends simultaneously with the diversion. Thus, Kurdish rebels in Turkey destructing Turkish soldiers and military equipment commit acts of sabotage, no matter how hard state’s government presents them to the world as terrorist attacks. However, note that journalists’ poor training and lack of knowledge of basic terms helps Turkey and some other countries to impose consumers of their propaganda in confusion of enemies’ methods and tools.

We need to understand that terrorist attacks are intended to intimidate population, forcing it to influence state policy. Terrorists don’t hesitate to kill innocent civilians; on contrary, civilian population is their main target, since death of civilians: children, patients gets the loudest response in the community. Terrorists don’t hide their vile faces, believing that it frightens and paralyzes spectator’s will. That is why almost after every bloody terrorist attack organization that was behind the terrorist announces about its involvement in the terrorist attack, often showing photograph or videotape of the suicide murderer.

The fight against terrorism, eradication of this mankind evil, must be complex and universal, but it should not be limited by simple destruction of executors and even customers. First of all, fight against terrorism requires liquidation of its base - terror ideology. Almost impossible to intimidate death the self-destroyer. Ideology of "shahid”-killer actively grown in radical society and Islam must be destroyed. Should be liquidated "shahid” concept toward bloody and pitiless killers. Environment where "shahids” nurtured should be deprived of ideological and political support. Today we are forced to observe that some states raised "shahids” to the rank of state policy.

Azerbaijan nourishes terrorists

In January 1990, throughout Azerbaijan’s capital began mass killings and pogroms of Armenians and the rest of Christian population: Russians, Ukrainians… Hundreds of people were killed. Then, miraculously survived eyewitnesses told chilling stories about inhuman cruelty of beastly crowd consisting of hundreds of thousands people. USSR KGB Chairman V. Kruchkov on USSR Supreme Soviet session told that during these days in Baku were recorded even cases of cannibalism, when killers of defenseless people roasted and ate their flesh.

January 20, Soviet troops entered Baku in order to stop the orgy of mass murders; they were encountered by fierce resistance. In course of overcoming barricades and liquidation of resistance centers were destroyed approximately one hundred killers and thugs. At the same time, during first day of troop’s entry into Baku, pogrom-makers killed 28 soldiers, about hundred servicemen were injured. It would seem that killers and cannibals had to be given to anathema, should be covered with eternal disgrace. But it only seemed like that.

Azerbaijan went by the other way. It went by glorifying criminals, killers and thugs. Killers and cannibals were buried in mass grave and this construction was called…the "Lane of Shahids”. Today this "lane” is huge and pompous construction, annually visited by tens and hundreds of thousand people. All official guests of Azerbaijan Republic are forced to visit the "Lane of Shahids”. For example, all three presidents of Russia put flowers on the graves of killers.

No doubts: glorification of "shahids” - promotes new generation of killers and there is no coincidence in confession of Chairman of the National Security Ministry of Azerbaijan Eldar Makhmudov about the fact that radical Islamic groups recruit Azeri girls in "shahid”-killers. His deputy, Sulhaddin Akper commenting to the "Echo” newspaper message about destruction in Russia terrorist, citizen of Azerbaijan, stated: "Today, there are already radical (Islamic - L.M.-Sh) organizations recruiting young people in Azerbaijan”. Further he reported: "if we’ll compare situations with 1992-1993, then today the number of radical (Islamic - L.M.-Sh.) religious structures in Azerbaijan has increased, but they don’t advertise themselves, yet”.

Islamic extremist movements are well aware about places where created fertile soil for recruitment of bloody suicide killers. There is no accident in the fact that many "shahid”- women killers who blew themselves in Russia’s crowded places got "instructions” in Azerbaijan. Thus, today not a lot of people in Russia know that terrorist - killers Zara Murtazaliev and Zulihan Elihadzhiev learned to kill Russian people in Azerbaijan.

From the indictment in Zara Murtazaliev’s case.

"Zara Murtazaliev as an active member of band formation fighting with federal forces being trained in the camp of suicide terrorists near Baku, Azerbaijan Republic, in September 2003 arrived into Moscow for the organization of terrorist acts…”

Personal diary of Zulihan Elihadzhiev, suicide-killer who blew herself and people around her in the queue at the box office at a rock festival in Tushino, was kept; there she described her trip to Baku with her stepbrother Zhage, Zulihan and Zhage were in criminal liaison. In Baku lover-brother, with assistance of other Azeri criminals Gasan and Yusuf recruited Zulihan in suicide-killer.

Julia Yuzik, author of "Brides of Allah” and recognized expert on suicide-women terrorists wrote in her book: "Baku, Azerbaijan – the center of everything. It’s a center of wahhabism, center of conceptual training of Chechen women terrorists; it’s also a center of financing from abroad. I know it from people I talked to during this entire year – very different people, from "both sides”.

In 2010 the largest and the most authoritative international organization to fight with financial abuses (FATF) included Azerbaijan in the limited list of countries that finance terrorism. According to the numerous reports of international organizations and US State Department Azerbaijan is the major transit point for drug trafficking into Russia and Europe, it’s confirmed by recently published documents on WikiLeaks site. According to UN data, over the past 4 years the volume of smuggling heroin through the territory of Azerbaijan has increased dramatically. Does anyone doubt the fact that the significant portion of the profit from the transit and grown in Azerbaijan drugs consumed for terrorist purposes?

In late February of the last year Russian FSB officers inspected the network of stores "Sunnah”, selling religious literature in Dagestan Republic. During inspections was withdrawn large number of literature promoting Wahhabism. Did they focus their attention on the fact that "Sunnah” stores selling the "literature” encouraging terrorism are the property of Azerbaijan’s Islamic leader sheik ul-Islam haji Allah Shukur Haji Zade?

June last year in Nizhniy Novgorod was arrested the leader of an underground extremist terrorist organization "Nurdzhular” ("Nur” - L.M.-Sh.) citizen of Azerbaijan Ilham Islamly. In belonging him apartment was found large number of extremist literature, purchased in "Sunnah” stores whose owner is Azerbaijani sheik.

In Russia there are myriads of Azeri terrorists. Some of their names are associated with many victims among civilians. Sadulla Cheruglanov, Nabi Abiev, Eldar Heydarov, Ilgar Mollachiyev, helped the transit into Russia for more than thirty terrorists from Azerbaijan (anyone can fill this list with dozens of names, indicated on numerous Azeri Islamists sites). Symptomatic, that during terrorist attack in the house of culture on Dubrovka in Moscow, when many spectators of musical "North-East” were killed, one of terrorist holding hostages called the editorial office of Azerbaijani newspaper "Echo”, that gladly granted him the newspaper stripe for the "interview”.

Strictly speaking, it couldn’t be another way. Azerbaijan is the first state in the world officially recourse to "services” of terrorist organizations in 1991-94. Thousands of mujahedeen from Afghanistan, Turkey, Chechnya, Arab countries - were called to "help” in Azerbaijan’s criminal aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. NKR’s leadership in those years repeatedly appealed to the world community to pay attention to the nascent in Azerbaijan criminal international terrorist community. All these appeals were vain. The danger of that formed world terrorist movement of Islamic radicals under the patronage of President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev understood only after the terrifying terrorist attacks in USA, Russia, England, Spain, Kenya, Tanzania, Indonesia, Iraq, Pakistan…

Not everyone remembers today that most blood thirsty terrorists: Basayev, Gela, Arbiev, Khattab, Raduyev took their "baptism of fire” in Azerbaijan… Few people remember that fax order of Osama bin Laden about terrorist attacks against US embassy was from Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan prefers to forget it all. Not to remember, but actively "educate” "shahid” killers.

Three days before the terrorist attack in Domodedovo, Azerbaijan celebrated January 20 at the state level. Over a hundred thousand people led by President and Republic’s management visited the "Lane of Shahids”. All day long television showed footage of Soviet troops enter Baku, all day long were quoted curses in address of Russian people that associated in Baku with Soviet troops. Radicals bringing flower to "shahids”- killers vowed to "revenge”. Three days later there was a terrorist attack. Was it occasional temporary coincidence?

Levon MELIK-SHAHNAZARYAN

January 1990. Baku

Грант — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 10:43:21 GMT

These days Armenians remember tragedy that took place 21 year ago in Baku. At those days in the city mostly built by Armenian builders; in the city with its own, unique flavor created by Armenian architects occurred most severe pogroms and murders of Armenian population. The enormous crowd of Transcaucasian Turks consisting of many tens of thousands nonhumans returned to the primitive state; this crowd starting from January 13 robbed and killed, raped and burnt Armenians… Only because they were Armenians.

Hard to recall these days to victims of pogroms, but we must speak about it. It is necessary. It is necessary not only because our sorrowful silence creates an opportunity for Azerbaijani government to yell and scream to the world of Soviet troops in "peaceful” Baku and to invent another black date in the calendar. It is necessary, first of all, in deference to the memory of hundreds of our compatriots, who were killed by bloody ax in the "tolerant” capital of Azerbaijan Republic. Yes, it sounds sacrilegious but that’s the way how authority and state propaganda of baseborn Azerbaijan attempt to be presented to the world community.

We can’t remain silent about the fact that to a certain degree.. in terrible Baku tragedy were guilty Armenian inhabitants of the city. Their guilt is not that they were born Armenians, but in the fact that in Armenian naïve way they believed that neighbors whom they often offered helping hand, whose children were they nursed, taught to read and write… so, Armenians hoped that these neighbors won’t let them be hurt. So, until January 1990 they didn’t understand that these "neighbors” helped criminal authority of the criminal formation to keep them hostages.

Yes, this must be understood and recognized: Armenian people of Baku were hostages for Azeri politicians. It was clearly demonstrated in November 1988, when entire Azerbaijan SSR was under massive, organized pogroms of the Armenian population of the republic. It is true that pogroms of Armenians were also in November 1988 in Baku and not only in November 1988, but until January 1990. However, necessary to recognize that pogroms were barely stopped and the significant part of the Armenian population of city remained … In hope, that state and friends-neighbors will protect them.

I call it "Armenian disease”: projection of their own morality on others, life understanding, dignity and willingness to help to close one and not very close man. Armenians of Baku built their plans and cherished hope on neighbors as if neighbors were Armenians with same feelings that they had. They hoped, as if Azerbaijan was ruled by humans. They hoped, as if Turk descendant, who raided Armenians throughout 1905, and then in 1918 could change.

Baku is the city of three Armenian pogroms and massacres. If in 1905 Armenians led by glorious Nikol Duman could defend themselves, then in September 1918, when regular Turkish army units and Azerbaijani "government” broke into the city forces were unequal, then Transcaucasian Turks together with Ottoman Turks in beastly enjoyment cut more than 30 thousand Armenians. Even before that they killed tens of thousands Armenians in Nukha-Aresh, Utic, Artsakh, Shirvan, Shamakhi… Totally, in 1918 on the territory of future Azerbaijan SSR were killed more than 250 thousand Armenians. There would be more killed if Turkey wouldn’t be forced to leave South Caucasus; left without the "ally” Transcaucasian Turks never were skilled to war.

It was fate of Armenians in Azerbaijan to ascent the scaffold built by Turkish ax before other Christian inhabitants of this republic. Christians, remaining there and lulling themselves same as Armenians before that state and neighbors will intervene, must realize it. Unless, they want peaceful future for themselves and their children. Since Turk always has sharpened ax in the bosom, and he is ready to use this ax not only for the sake of his own misanthropic feelings, but also for the sake of political problems solving of his leaders. Ax - is the only Turk’s "argument” against the lofty ideals of world perception.

Turk’s intolerance toward representatives of other nationalities and ethic groups originated and obtained its ideologically-practical foundation in their nomadic history: when they pitilessly destroyed opponent, who enjoyed oasis benefits in steppe. Perhaps, as elegantly expressed Ilham Aliyev two heads in one pot won’t boil, one small oasis could not feed and water all suffering and hunger flocks. Turk kept this intolerance to "strangers”, and he is not psychologically ready to "put up with” them. Capturing "oasis”, Turk like jackal rushes to mark his area of residence; even if he understands that it’s just a temporary camp. Woe to the weak that remained inside the marked territory. Since Turk recognizes only force.

Hundreds of Armenian lives, tens of thousands of broken destinies - tragedy January 1990 in Baku for a long time will remain the unhealed wound in our hearts and reopen our memory. But, this tragedy, however blasphemous it may sound, has positive sides. The Baku massacres of Armenians finally divided us with Transcaucasian Turks. Henceforth, we stand with the enemy face to face, and we don’t have to worry for the Armenians living in the rear of the enemy. From now on there is an Armenian Army - on the way of Turk to the Armenian peasant - the only dedicated and loyal ally of Armenian people. Yes, they are our children; we are proud of them and worry for them. But we know: our grown up sons guard the border so our little children, our people and our country would have guaranteed peaceful future. Armenians - not first nation forced by Turks away from their cradle (or destroyed in the cradle); almost all of the indigenous nations of Turkey and Azerbaijan drunk this bitter cup. However, nature created us way too great to become egoists. We became victims in Baku; our blood was shed in that city that is why it’s destined to us to warn the rest: Turk has the ax in his bosom.

Levon MELIK-SHAHNAZARYAN

Graves in honor of Heydar Aliyev

Грант — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 21:16:29 GMT

Frankly, I thought for a long before writing on this topic. I thought not because I didn’t want to hurt Ilham Aliyev’s feeling and touch unkind memory of Heydar Aliyev; feelings of these people are completely indifferent for me. I didn’t want to reopen the wounds of mothers and wives; children of those young men who were forcibly driven from Azerbaijan into Armenian Artsakh Mountains, where they forever remained in unknown graves. Even more than that I didn’t want to awaken painful memories of parents among the indigenous peoples of Azerbaijan; their young and innocent children were sacrificed to the Moloch of Azerbaijani government’s Turkish interests.

To write about this is hard, but not to write is crime. This is a crime since today in Azerbaijan "revanchism” is a hot topic, there are more deserters’ appeals who ready to send young men in Karabakh for slaughter by staying in their offices. It is crime since current President inherited Azerbaijan, same as his deceased daddy dreams to muffle protest voices against his tyranny in Azerbaijan by new blood in Artsakh. It is crime because the silence about Heydar Aliyev’s military crimes panders new crimes of his son.

In November 1991 I had to dig the frozen land on the territory of the television repeater antenna in Hadrut. During that superbly organized military operation our troops freed three Armenian villages and mountain, on top of it was built relay station that Azerbaijani OMON turned into a fortress. At that fight Azeri OMON were surrendered, left their weapon and were expelled from Artsakh under the supervision of Special Region’s military commandant. They were so pleased with their wonderful escape that they didn’t remember their fallen colleagues, leaving to us concerns of seven corpses. We had to bury those who were sent in Artsakh to kill our relatives and friends.

Later, similar stories took place many times. Our guys had to bury corpses of Azeri soldiers abandoned by their comrades. First, two or three bodies, then tens and even hundreds. Some "lucky” Azeri askers were buried not yet cooled, however not rarely we had to bury decomposed corpses. Although, there is a phrase enemy’s corpse always smells well, I have to admit that’s a severe sight.

Nevertheless, harsh war realities as well as elementary care of healthiness on the land of battle, forced us to ignore our feelings and do the heavy work. I remember the bitter joke of my comrade: "Not only you destroy them at risk for life, but then you also bury them at risk for health”. These words of real Soldier and Man reflected the truth of that war. In the fall of 1992 Commission for the External Relations of NKR’s Parliament appealed to the Azerbaijani side with the proposal to conclude short term cease-fire agreement in order to be able to bury hundreds of corpses of the attackers’ askers. There was no reply: and we had to bury these corpses about in a month.

However, the matter of fact has changed when Heydar Aliyev came to power in Azerbaijan. Suddenly, Azerbaijani side began to bury their askers, those that were remained on their side of front line. The warriors of NKR Defense Army in amazement watched, how driven from the depth of Azerbaijan to the front line bulldozers and excavators dug huge pits; then corpses of their own askers were dumped in pits.

In my personal files I have lists of destroyed Azeri soldiers, found at their killed commanders. I repeat, I thought for a long, whether to publish them. What’s better: Azeri politicians’ sweet lie when they claim the unknown fate of "missing” Azeri askers, or bitter truth? Apparently, truth is better. Since President of Azerbaijan, in spite of all Islam canons "moved” hundreds of Azeri askers corpses’ on Martyr’s lane for the pompous funeral of his parents, today again ready to send to certain death hundreds of thousands young Azerbaijani people. I hope that indicated in report Mustafayev T. A., who didn’t want to participate in Azerbaijan’s crime and "willfully left a military part”, escaped prosecution and lives now with his family.

In the years of Azerbaijan’s aggression Razmik (young soldier, volunteer) asked me in perplexity: "Does Azeri religion forbids them to touch the corpses, why do they collect their dead with excavators?”. I answered that thus Azerbaijan hides from its population huge armed force losses, and in fact Islam same as Christianity forbids to bury people without bathing, Razmik perplexedly replied: but "How? Even Satan won’t do that with his soldiers”. It happened if I’m right, in September 1993. But this was only beginning of Heydar Aliyev’s plan for the concealment of corpses.

Work of Azerbaijani "burial team” got its sweep at the end of December 1993, during next (and last) of Heydar Aliyev’s adventures – attempt to capture Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Since December 21, Azerbaijan undertook the most massive and reckless assault, which lasted until mid-April of 1994. According to the most conservative estimate within this period Azerbaijan lost killed up to 22 thousand askers. But how many mothers could mourn their sons? How many Azeri children of those askers are able to visit fathers’ graves?

The proposed map is absolutely precise, but it’s far from complete, since not all mass "burials” could be seen by Armenian soldiers, not always they had time, and yes not always they had desire to count the number of dumped into pits dead askers. Even our editorial staff hardly could clarify places of all mass burials. Heydar Aliyev was afraid to show Azerbaijan’s population true quantity of killed in his honor young men and this fear of public anger forced him to order to dig new "common graves”. This crime wasn’t due to "harsh war truth”, it was due to the desire to retain power by any cost, even if price is thousands of ruined lives, tears and inconsolable grief of mothers and widows, and orphaned children.

Map indicates the place of mass burials of about (1600) thousand six hundred Azeri askers. The young men many of whom are still awaited in their homes. We didn’t consider killed in Karvachar (Kelbajar), where according to the former head of the press center of Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry Leyla Yunus were killed more than five thousand Azeris. According to our data, in Karvachar mountains were killed more than 5500 Azeri askers; however, they were not included in our list because of simple and tragic reason: their corpses remained under the rubbles of stones and snow.

Today Heydar Aliyev’s son is ready to follow in the footsteps of his father. I have no doubts: result of new Azerbaijan’s military aggression against the Artsakh republic will be accurately the same as before. However, new armed Azerbaijan’s adventure will cause new colossal causalities both among Armenian and Azerbaijan people. If in 1991-94 years Azerbaijan lost only 37 thousand soldiers killed, then new war, taking into account the fact that Armenian states and Azerbaijan all these years intensely armed will lead to the death of much larger number of young people. In this case, I am confident; new Azerbaijan’s aggression would cast doubt on the existence of Azerbaijan Republic.

Ilham Aliyev spent on grandiose monument to his parents on the Martyr’s lane in Baku more funds, than on social assistance to refugees during 18 years in total.

Ilham Aliyev spent on Heydar Aliyev’s monuments in the entire world more funds than on families of killed in Karabakh Azeri askers during 18 years in total.

Ilham Aliyev spent on building of Heydar Aliyev’s museums more funds than on invalids and participants of Karabakh war during 18 years in total.

There are a lot of monuments in Azerbaijan to the "national leader” Heydar Aliyev. It seems to me necessary to built at least eleven more – at places of "common graves” at the border with Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

In Azerbaijan many streets, avenues, parks, squares, palaces, enterprises, ships, towns named after Heydar Aliyev. There can be no doubts: the best places of Heydar Aliyev’s perpetuation are hidden "mass graves” near the border with Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

Levon MELIK-SHAHNAZARYAN

The Robust Man of Europe

Грант — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 22:13:49 GMT

Turkey has the vigor that the EU badly needs.

At the end of this century’s first decade, we can observe how the locus of power has shifted in world politics. The G20 is replacing the G7 as the overseer of the global economy. The need to restructure the U.N. Security Council to be more representative of the international order is profoundly pressing. And emerging powers such as Brazil, India, Turkey, and others are playing very assertive roles in global economic affairs.

The European Union cannot be the one sphere that is immune to these changes in the balance of power. The financial crisis has laid bare Europe’s need for greater dynamism and change: European labor markets and social-security systems are comatose. European economies are stagnant. European societies are near geriatric. Can Europe retain power and credibility in the new world order without addressing these issues?

Meanwhile, as a candidate for EU membership, Turkey has been putting its imprint on the global stage with its impressive economic development and political stability. The Turkish economy is Europe’s fastest-growing sizable economy and will continue to be so in 2011. According to Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development forecasts, Turkey will be the second-largest economy in Europe by 2050. Turkey is a market where foreign direct investment can get emerging-market returns at a developed-market risk. Turkey is bursting with the vigor that the EU so badly needs.

And it’s not only economics. Turkey is becoming a global and regional player with its soft power. Turkey is rediscovering its neighborhood, one that had been overlooked for decades. It is following a proactive foreign policy stretching from the Balkans to the Middle East and the Caucasus. Turkey’s "zero-problem, limitless trade” policy with the countries of the wider region aims to create a haven of nondogmatic stability for all of us. We have visa-free travel with 61 countries. This is not a romantic neo-Ottomanism: It is realpolitik based on a new vision of the global order. And I believe that this vision will help the EU, too, in the next decade.

Our intense diplomatic efforts have yielded fruit in Iraq and Afghanistan, in the Balkans, and also in regard to the Iranian nuclear program. Turkey has been an active player in all the major areas of global politics and we do not intend to surrender this momentum. Once it becomes a member of the EU, Turkey will contribute to European interests in a wide range of issues, from foreign and economic policy to regional security and social harmony.

Even though the case for Turkey’s membership of the EU is self-evident and requires little explanation, the accession process has been facing resistance orchestrated by certain member states. Unfortunately, the negotiation process is not currently proceeding as it ought to. Eighteen out of 22 negotiation chapters pending for discussion are blocked on political grounds. This is turning into the sort of byzantine political intrigue that no candidate country has experienced previously. In this treatment, Turkey is unique.

Our European friends should realize that Turkey-EU relations are fast approaching a turning point. In the recent waves of enlargement, the EU smoothly welcomed relatively small countries and weak economies in order to boost their economic growth, consolidate their democracies, and provide them with shelter. Not letting them in would have meant leaving those countries at the mercy of political turmoil that might emerge in the region. No such consideration has ever been extended to Turkey. Unlike those states, Turkey is a regional player, an international actor with an expanding range of soft power and a resilient, sizable economy. And yet, the fact that it can withstand being rebuffed should not become reason for Turkey’s exclusion. Sometimes I wonder if Turkey’s power is an impediment to its accession to the Union. If so, one has to question Europe’s strategic calculations.

It’s been more than half a century since Turkey first knocked at Europe’s door. In the past, Turkey’s EU vocation was purely economic. The Turkey of today is different. We are no more a country that would wait at the EU’s door like a docile supplicant.

Some claim that Turkey has no real alternative to Europe. This argument might be fair enough when taking into account the level of economic integration between Turkey and the EU—and, in particular, the fact that a liberal and democratic Europe has always been an anchor for reform in Turkey. However, the opposite is just as valid. Europe has no real alternative to Turkey. Especially in a global order where the balance of power is shifting, the EU needs Turkey to become an ever stronger, richer, more inclusive, and more secure Union. I hope it will not be too late before our European friends discover this fact.

Newsweek.Com

Why Heydar Aliyev didn’t congratulate Ilham Aliyev?

Грант — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 17:57:43 GMT

As far as I know, no one was interested on this issue until this day, at least out loud. Meanwhile, this is a civilized world accepted practice: state former president congratulates his successor with the election to the high position. In the case of Heydar and Ilham Aliyev, congratulations would be more than appropriate: Heydar Aliyev was the father of Ilham Aliyev and the person who refused to participate in the presidential race in favor of his son. In order to find the answer to the headlined question we should get familiar with the preceding events of Heydar Aliyev’s death official announcement.

July 8, 2003 Heydar Aliyev was hospitalized in the Military Medical Academy "Gülhan" in the capital of Turkey - Ankara. In May of the same year, after fainting during a public speech on the air, he already passed the treatment. This time, however, health condition of Azerbaijan’s President was far more threatening than before. August 1 in the press leaked the information that Heydar Aliyev died. The same day, the State Chancellery of Georgia first expressed its condolences to the bereaved family and the people of Azerbaijan, shortly after the message about the death of President Heydar Aliyev was officially denied by the same Chancellery. Georgia President's press secretary Kakha Imnadze at the briefing in Tbilisi stated that during the National Security Council meeting Eduard Shevardnadze was informed on the death of Heydar Aliyev. Soon, the same Kakha Imnadze at the second briefing reported that death of Azerbaijan’s President doesn’t correspond to the reality.

August 4, Ilham Aliyev has denied all of the rumors on a critical health state and, especially, death of his father - President Heydar Aliyev. RIA Novosti (news agency) informed that Aliyev-junior reported about his return from Turkey where he visited his father in "Gülhan" hospital. "It is expected that Heydar Aliyev, will return home to August 6 - the beginning of presidential elections official campaign in Azerbaijan".

Ilham Aliyev really visited Ankara’s hospital with a group of accomplices, after that he returned with a signed decree appointing himself to the position of prime minister and acting president of Azerbaijan. However, many experts believe that the signature was faked as Heydar Aliyev the president of Azerbaijan was in a coma, or, more likely, he was no longer alive. Nevertheless, Heydar Aliyev, "signed" not one but two decrees, by the second one of which Artur Rasi-zade was appointed to the post of first vice-premier of Azerbaijan. Also, should be noted that there is no decree of removing him from the post of prime minister.

August 6, the President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, was transported from Ankara to US Cleveland for further examination and treatment. According to Azertaj agency, President’s plane took off from Ankara about at noon.

August 8, there was first wave of protest in front of the Turkish Embassy in Baku. Baku Medias reported that representatives of the Democratic and other oppositional parties have expressed their dissatisfaction with official Ankara's position on the illegal transfer of power from Heydar Aliyev to his son Ilham. The protesters adopted resolution which called Ankara to build relations with Azerbaijan on the principles of democracy, to assess the seizure of power and to support democratic elections in Azerbaijan.

In this case is very interesting Philip Ricker’s reaction (US State Department press service)

who could not hide his irritation on Heydar Aliev’s staying in Cleveland. As informed "Turan" agency first Riker interrupted journalist who asked about Aliyev, then, after repeated questions, Riker quite vaguely reported: "We were informed that President Heydar Aliyev is on his way to the US for medical treatment. I don’t know other details, as well as did he already arrive or not. "

Meanwhile, Azeri opposition press asserted that Heydar Aliyev died. So "Hurriyet” newspaper published the information that H. Aliyev died on 1st August and there is a record of it in Ankara’s "Gülhan” hospital. Azadlyg newspaper published message that "H. Aliyev’s body was delivered by the plane of Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations to the airfield in Nasosnyy and already located in Baku." However, Baku officials continued to assert that Aliyev is in Cleveland, and his condition steadily improves”.

Following Azerbaijan’s leaders let’s turn to the Cleveland’s data. August 11, city clinic held press release stating "from the arrival President’s health condition has improved." Aliyev is in the cardiovascular department of the clinics, where he "rests comfortably”. On the same day in an interview to the Voice of America Radio Eileen Sheil, Cleveland Clinic spokesman said that information about the health condition of Azerbaijani President, distributed by the Cleveland Clinic, initially agreed with the officials accompanying Heydar Aliyev, and only then brought to the public. According to rules of the clinic, the information won’t be spread out if patient or his relatives don’t want it to be spread.

This is a very important recognition, according to which relatives are able to hide true health condition of Heydar Aliyev from the public. There was something to hide.

August 15, there was a major accident with US power grid that caused entire north of the country, including Cleveland, remaining without electricity. However, as Eileen Sheil reported to the Turan news agency "Power cuts didn’t reflect on the H. Aliyev’s health condition. There are no changes in his condition since our last report, spread to the media on August 11. The state of our patient is stable".

At the second half of August and September 2003 there were some interesting reports about "found" donor heart for Aliyev, which previously belonged to the deceased in a car accident Colombian, and the search of Azerbaijan’s president declared by the "Hurriyet" newspaper. Heart transplantation didn’t take place, although money (half of a million dollars) for the insured heart of the deceased Colombian had been given. Newspaper search was also useless. Aliyev was in Cleveland Clinic, where no one allowed, and all details were agreed with accompanying people.

However, there was an interesting story about "accompanying group”: October 1, Heydar Aliyev’s guards (here used appropriate words) were turned out of the Cleveland Clinic’s doors. The official reason of this decision - the group of guards molested Russian girl working in the cafe. There are no answers to our questions … Did they all molest one girl? and … How many people were in that group? The version of Russian girl harassment is still used today.

The very next day was published Heydar Aliyev’s statement where he withdraws himself from the presidential election "in favor of Ilham Aliyev." Also, H. Aliyev called his son "the guarantor of the country's future." Should be clear, health condition of the unprotected body had to be good, if he could make such important decisions. October 7 (8 days before the election!), the Head of Presidential Administration, Ramiz Mehtiyev informed about Heydar Aliyev’s soon return to Azerbaijan. Interfax news agency passed Mehtiyev’s words: "I can’t tell whether it will be before the elections… it directly dependents on doctors.”

October 10, APS (Agency of Political News) published anecdotal post citing source in the Russian intelligence services: Four countries: Azerbaijan, USA, Britain and Turkey - are fighting for the right of not hosting Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev. The essence of this message is on the fact that none of these countries were willing to report the death of Heydar Aliyev on its territory, as it could cast a shadow on their medicine. No comments, as they say.

October 11, Prime Minister Ilham Aliyev declared that "Heydar Aliyev won’t be able to discharge from the Cleveland hospital and return to the country from USA for the presidential election." "Head of States will vote in United States" - added I. Aliyev, diligently instilling population that Heydar Aliyev is alive.

October 15, 2003 Ilham Aliyev "won” presidential elections in Azerbaijan. Elections were accompanied by widespread fraud and forgery which ended by the beating of protesters. Romano Prodi, European Commission President said that "organization, process, and results of the election were a perfect farce: opposition candidates didn’t have a slightest opportunity for a fair result in the election." Thus, according to Prodi, Ilham Aliyev elected in Azerbaijan can be considered as "legitimate tyranny" of its country. Soon, Speaker of the Milli Mejlis reported from Baku: "At the inauguration ceremony of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku on October 31 we expect the former leader of the country Heydar Aliyev to attend."

Heydar Aliyev, of course, never arrived. November 24, Eldar Ibrahimov, the member of Azerbaijani Milli Mejlis blurted offering to print a new sample of the national currency, which will be depicted an "eternal leader Heydar Aliyev."

December 12, US State Department spread a statement in connection with the death of Azerbaijani former President Heydar Aliyev on December 12 at Cleveland Clinic. Azerbaijan almost immediately got fever on perpetuating the memory of ex-president. Azerbaijan accreted with monuments, museums, parks, and the mausoleum of Heydar Aliyev. Nezavisimaya Gazeta reported: incredible speed of these monumental structures projects appearing indicates that they were prepared in advance". Newspaper openly mocked the posthumous promotion of the personality cult; it got its climax when Baku mayor G. Abutalibov offered "to rename Azerbaijan in Heydaristan and to rename Azeri in heydari.”

In the situation of mourning excitement no one noticed that Heydar Aliyev was brought and buried in a closed coffin.

There is another important detail; no one seems to pay attention on it: Heydar Aliyev didn’t congratulate his son, Ilham Aliyev with the victory in the presidential elections. How is it possible? After hospitalization, he appointed his son to the post of prime minister and acting president, then, October 2 Heydar Aliyev withdrew himself from the fight for the post of Azerbaijani President, suggesting everyone to vote for Ilham Aliyev. What could stop him to congratulate his son with the victory after elections on October 15? Note, according to the official propaganda, Heydar Aliyev has used his constitutional right, and voted in the election. Heydar Aliyev didn’t congratulate his son with the inauguration, which took place on October 31. I think there is only one answer: Azerbaijani former president has been dead. All these months, someone has carefully composed texts of decrees, as well as Heydar Aliyev’s health condition information. Carefully stored corpse got forgotten in the confusion of opposition protests suppression and fast inauguration preparations...

Igor Vartanov

Washington, Cleveland (Ohio)

After 12 days of WikiLeaks cables, the world looks on US with new eyes

Грант — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 21:07:22 GMT

Reaction across the globe to the leaked US embassy cables has ranged from anger and bitterness to extreme indifference

South America

Brazil

President Lula says he is to register his protest at Assange's arrest on his blog. "This chap was only publishing something he read," he said. "And if he read it, it is because somebody wrote it. The guilty one is not the publisher, it is the person who wrote [these things]. Blame the person who wrote this nonsense because there would be no scandal if they hadn't." Many leaks relate to the security situation in Rio de Janeiro. A 2009 cable warned that pre-Olympic attempts to expel drug traffickers from some of the city's most violent favelas could resemble "the battles in Fallujah more than a conventional urban police operation".

Argentina

In Argentina the Wikileaks revelations have focused on apparent US concern about a new invasion of the Falklands islands and over president Cristina Kirchner mental health. In one cable Hillary Clintonmused over whether the current occupant of the Casa Rosada was "taking any medications."

"How do Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's emotions affect her decision-making and how does she calm down when distressed?" one cable asked diplomats in the Argentine capital.

The English-language Buenos Aires Herald, however, pointed out that "the snickering about the President's mental health comes at a time [when] she is perceived by much of the public, including those who oppose her, as having shown tremendous strength immediately after her husband's death."

Venezuela

Venezuela's president, Hugo Chavez, has called on Hillary Clinton to resign in the wake of "all of this spying and delinquency in the State Department".

"Look at how they treat the leaders of powerful countries," Chavez told state TV channel Telesur, describing the cables as proof of the "dirty war of Yankee embassies in the whole world".

"Look how they are mistreating this great friend of ours, Vladimir Putin. What a lack of respect!"

Ecuador and Bolivia

The Ecuadorian government has been Wikileaks' most vocal supporter in the region, offering the under-fire Julian Assange residency "without any conditions". Bolivia has also expressed its irritation at its portrayal in the US diplomatic cables. The country's vice-president, Alvaro Garcia Linera, this week posted Bolivia-focused Wikileaks cables, in full, on his official website in response to what he called "insults" and "third rate espionage".

US authorities have been lampooned by much of the Bolivian press.

Juan José Toro Montoya, a columnist for the Cochabamba newspaper Los Tiempos newspaper described the accusations against Wikileaks' founder as "laughable".

"Julian Assange may be under arrest but he has been transformed into a hero and will go down in history as being the first human being to massively reveal the dirty-tricks of government," he wrote yesterday.

Middle East

Iran

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dismissed the Wikileaks revelations as "psychological warfare." Iran's foreign ministry spokesman thundered: "The enemies of the Islamic world are pursuing a project of Iranophobia and disunity. This project only protects the interests of the Zionist regime and its supporters." Still, the documents will reinforce the regime's world view by underlining the huge effort being made by the US to contain Iran by applying pressure for UN sanctions over its nuclear programme or stopping arms deliveries to groups like Hamas and Hizbullah. It will be harder to maintain the pretence of good relations with Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states because of exposure of their fear of Tehran. Iran remains defiant and is not as isolated as Washington would like. It is influential in Iraq and has good relations with Turkey. It is clear that Barack Obama's efforts to reach out to it have failed, with some arguing he was never serious about engagement. The status quo looks volatile and threatening.

Israel

Israel has been largely untroubled by because US views on key Middle Eastern issues especially on Iran, Syria and Lebanon, are so close to its own. "Israel is not the centre of international attention," said Binyamin Netanyahu. "Normally, there's a gap between what is said publicly and what is said privately, but in this case, the gap is not large." The most significant revelation was that Israel believes that beyond a certain point attacking Iran would cause too much "collateral damage."Israel can be seen maintaining discreet contact with Gulf states and have an intriguing intelligence link to Saudi Arabia. It suits Israel that the Palestinian issue and Jewish settlements in the occupied territories do not feature prominently. The Palestinian Authority denied suggestions it acquiesced in Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia's only public comment on the revelations was to say "they do not concern us" despite the sensational exposure of comments made by King Abdullah about attacking Iran "to cut off the head of the snake." It will be unhappy about US complaints that it remains a source of funding for the Taliban and other extremists. It may be pleased its counter-terrorist efforts against al-Qaida, at home and in neighbouring Yemen, have been given positive exposure. There is little evidence of US pressure over human rights and democracy.

Lebanon

Ever volatile Lebanon has been shaken by documents showing close links between the pro-western government and the US. The most damaging revelation described its defence minister offering advice on how Israel could defeat Hezbollah if a new war erupted. But Elias Murr complained that the cables were "inaccurate" and taken out of context. Tensions are already high because of expectations Hizbullah members will be indicted for the 2005 murder of Rafiq al-Hariri. Al-Akhbar, a leftist and pro-Hizbullah paper that has published leaks of the leaks about the Arab world, has come under cyber attack.

Syria

Syria has not responded officially to disclosures that it is the subject of intense US efforts to stop deliveries of weapons to Hezbollah. Syrians say they are struck by the absence of embarrassing information about Israel. Sami Moubayed, an influential commentator, wrote: "Perhaps WikiLeaks will one day tell us, for example, what the Israelis are hiding about the pre-Bush era." Damascus insists it only supports resistance to Israel and blames it for ramping up regional tensions. Ample evidence of American strategy to weaken the alliance between Damascus and Tehran, but there is no sign that it has worked.

Yemen

Yemen's government has faced embarrassing questions in parliament about evidence ministers lied about US air strikes against al-Qaida targets. Cables revealed President Ali Abdullah Saleh is worried about being painted as an American pawn and restricts counter-terrorist cooperation even as Washington presses for more determined action. Opposition MP Mansur al Zindani complained of a "powerful blow to parliament and the public." There are fears the revelations could help al-Qaida win new recruits in the Arab world's poorest country.

Libya

Muammar Gaddafi praised WikiLeaks for exposing US "hypocrisy." The whistleblowing website has "proved America is not what it has led allies and friends to believe it to be." There was no comment on threats against Britain if the Lockerbie bomber, Abdel-Basset al-Megrahi, died in prison in Scotland.

Egypt

Revelations about Egypt – some leaked to the independent newspaper al-Masry al-Youm — have been dismissed by Cairo as containing "nothing new." But they include evidence of its fears about Sudan breaking up, President Mubarak's profound hostility to Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah, and bleak US assessments of future prospects for democracy, including the prediction that Mubarak, now 82, will stand for yet another term next year. The recent parliamentary elections, widely dismissed as a charade, tend to confirm US views.

Tunisia

President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali will be furious at cables describing high-level corruption, a sclerotic regime, and deep hatred of his wife and her family. Deeply unflattering reports from the US ambassador in Tunis make no bones about the state of the small Maghreb country, widely considered one of the most repressive in North Africa. No surprise that Tunisia blocked the website of Beirut's al-Akhbar, which published some of the documents.

Turkey

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reacted furiously to US diplomatic cables that suggested he was a corrupt closet Islamist. As Turkey heads for elections next year, secular Republican opponents may try to exploit his evident discomfort.

The cables highlighted three principal issues. Erdogan's personal probity – he was reported to have eight secret Swiss bank accounts; the supposed Islamist agenda of the ruling AKP party; and Turkey's perceived drift away from the western alliance and closer embrace of countries such as Syria and Iran.

Erdogan's response was both to dismiss the cables as tittle-tattle, and to conjure conspiracy theories."The un-serious cables of American diplomats, formed from gossip, magazines, allegations and slander are spreading worldwide via the internet," Erdogan said. "Are there disclosures of state secrets, or is there another aim?" he askedd. "… Is it carrying out a veiled, dark propaganda? Are there efforts to affect, manipulate relations between certain countries?"

Europe

Russia

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin gave the sharpest response to the WikiLeaks cables in which he was protrayed as Batman to Dmitry Medvedev's Robin. "Slander", he called it. The embassy cables portray Russia as a corrupt kleptocracy where politicians and criminals were inextricably linked. Medvedev has said that the cables "show a full measure of cynicism" in US foreign policy making. But he suggested the leaks would not damage relations between Moscow and WashingtonSergei Lavrov, the foreign minister, claimed to be surprised that "some petty thieves running around the Internet" are causing such a sensation. In reality, the cables have caused lasting damage in Russia, playing to the deep mistrust of US intentions that imbues Kremlin policy making.

Poland

The cables revealed a battle of wits and mutual dissembling between Warsaw and Washington over US military aid to Poland, missile defence, and attitudes towards Russia. While the Poles welcomed secret Nato plans for the defence of the three Baltic states, they worried the new plan would dilute Nato security guarantees for Poland.

The disclosures appear to be sparking a sober re-assessment in Warsaw of the closeness of the relationship with Washington.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk sounded bitter and disenchanted on Tuesday after the Guardian published material on Poland.

"We have a really serious problem," he said. "Not with image, as some countries do, and not reputation, like the US does. It's a problem of being stripped of illusions about the nature of relations between countries, including such close allies as Poland and the US."

Italy

La Repubblica, one of Italy's best-selling dailies, on Wednesday carried the first in a series of articles examining the relationship between Silvio Berlusconi and Russia's prime minister, Vladimir Putin, in the light of claims reported by the US state department cables that the Italian leader was profiting from gas deals between their two countries.

Newspapers and other media have given extensive coverage to the WikiLeaks disclosures. Berlusconi, who has denied any financial interest in Italy's energy dealings, was also embarrassed by a cable that quoted him as referring to Russia's president, Dmitry Medvedev as an "apprentice". He insisted he never said it.

But in a country where the prime minister cannot be forced to answer to parliament and where attention is now focussed mainly on two parliamentary censure motions that could topple the Berlusconi administration next week, the political fall-out has been limited. Pierluigi Bersani, the leader of Italy's biggest opposition group, the Democratic party, said the cables showed that "the prime minister, with his behaviour and political decisions, harms the reputation of Italy in the world."

But, for the most part, opposition politicians have heeded a warning from Berlusconi's foreign minister, Franco Frattini, not to exploit the cables for political purposes.

Austria

The cables show a rather withering US contempt for Austria and its leading politicians, with US diplomats complaining that Washington has little leverage in Vienna because the government there is barely interested in developing relations with the US. The social democratic chancellor, Werner Faymann, is described as a leader with scant interest in foreign affairs. The foreign minister, Michael Spindelegger, is preoccupied with promoting Austrian business. And Austria, constitutionally neutral and not in Nato, is criticised for resisting US pressure to send forces to Afghanistan.

Norbert Darabos, the defence minister, described the US criticism as "inexplicable", and said Austria would not increase its contribution to Afghanistan beyond the five policemen it has sent.

A leading Austrian Greens MP, Peter Pilz, proposed that the country should grant Julian Assange political asylum.

Kazakhstan

US cables described the peccadilloes of the Kazakh elite, including the 40-horse stable of Nursultan Nazarbayev, the president, a private Elton John concert for a top politician and an extraordinary midnight dance by the prime minister at a nightclub called Chocolat. Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, was at pains to privately apologise to several world leaders who were pilloried in the disclosures.

Turkmenistan

In perhaps the baldest character assassination of any world leader in the WikiLeaks cables, a US diplomat reported to Washington that president Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov of Turkmenistan is seen as "vain, fastidious, vindictive, a micro-manager," a "practised liar" and "not a very bright guy". In keeping with the country's insular regime, the charge provoked little reaction.

Georgia

Disclosures about the Caucasus state were a mixed bag. As the New York Times noted, they showed US diplomats' catastrophic failure to recognise that Mikhail Saakashvili, the president, was planning to attack the breakaway enclave of South Ossetia in 2008. But they also concluded that before the conflict Russia had been "aggressively playing a high-stakes covert game" in an attempt to provoke Georgia into retaliation. Giga Bokeria, secretary of Georgia's national security council, toed Washington's line in his assessment of the WikiLeaks releases. "It is very cynical when one, under the guise of a martyr, fights against the greatest democracy [the US] using such prohibited methods," he said of Julian Assange, in televised comments.

Kyrgyzstan

Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, was the setting for Prince Andrew's infamous rant about geographically-challenged Americans and snooping "(expletive) journalists, especially from the National Guardian." At a meeting with the prince, Tatiana Gfoeller, the US ambassador to Bishkek, decided he was a victim of "neuralgic patriotism" whose behaviour "verged on the rude". Kyrgyzstan's leadership has been silent on that sharp assessment, while local media have been more interested in claims that China offered the country a $3bn (£1.9bn) aid package if it would close the Manas airbase, which the US uses to supply its troops in Afghanistan.

Moldova

According to the WikiLeaks documents, Moldova's then president, Vladimir Voronin, offered a $10m (£6.4m) bribe to a rival in 2009 in a desperate attempt to keep his communist government in power. A leading member of Voronin's party, Mark Tkachuk, told reporters the claims were "fairy tales" and "low-life gossip".

Africa

Kenya

It took just a few leaked words to create an outcry from the Kenyan government. In a teaser of what the cables from Nairobi would reveal, Der Spiegel said last week that US officials believed the country was a "swamp of corruption" — hardly a heretic view on the streets of Nairobi. Government spokesman Alfred Mutua immediately called a news conference to say the government was "surprised and shocked".

"If what is reported is true, it is totally malicious, and a total misrepresentation of our country and our leaders," he said.

He went on to say that foreign countries funding youth empowerment schemes in Kenya – a barely veiled reference to the US — were in fact trying to overthrow the government. The US ambassador to Nairobi, Michael Ranneberger, described Mutua's claims as "utterly ridiculous". The prime minister told parliament he welcomed the Wikileaks revelations.

'We now know what some of our friends think about us … it is helpful."

After the revelations on Thursday that the US ambassador believed rampant corruption could lead in renewed violence in the country, Kibaki's office released a statement defending his record.

"We wish to state that President Kibaki's record on reforms through out his career speaks for itself. ," it said.

Uganda

The authorities in Uganda were also riled. In response to claims that President Yoweri Museveni feared his plane being shot down on the orders of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, the Ugandan foreign minister Sam Kutesa issued a statement yesterday (Thursday).

"While it is true that we hold discussions with the US government on regional and internationals issues, the contents of the alleged cables are grossly inaccurate and illogical. For example, if the Ugandan president perceived the threat to fly the international airspace, the solution would be for him to stay at home. Other leaders in the world have done so in the past."

But Museveni's spokesman Tamale Mirundi confirmed that other leaked cables referring to the president's concern about Sudan supporting the Lord's Resistance Army rebels a few years ago, and Eritrea being a regional threat, were in fact accurate.

Eritrea

Despite its president being described by US officials as an "unhinged dictator", there was no reaction from Eritrea to the leaked cables. There is also no free press in Eritrea.

Nigeria

Royal Dutch Shell said it was "absolutely untrue" that it had infiltrated every Nigerian ministry affecting its operations there. The company offered no further comment.

Zimbabwe

In an opinion piece in the state-run Herald newspaper, Reason Wafawarova focused on how the cables showed that Mugabe had defied US expectations of his demise from power. He also delighted in description of opposition leader and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai as a "flawed figure".

South Asia

Pakistan

The rich store of WikiLeaks revelations about Pakistan have monopolized headlines and the political agenda for over ten days. But some stories are considered too hot to touch. While cables exposing the foibles of Pakistan's civilian leaders triggered a media feeding frenzy, the press largely ignored revelations that cast the powerful military in a bad light, including its alleged support for Islamist extremist groups such as the Taliban. That left politicians struggling to bat off embarrassing allegations, such as the bearded religious firebrand seen cosying up to the American ambassador, President Asif Zardari's obsession with his death, or prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani's secret support for CIA drone strikes.

"Don't trust WikiLeaks," Gilani told reporters in Kabul at the weekend, attempting to brush off the revelations as "the observations of junior diplomats". Beside him President Hamid Karzai, also tarred in the dispatches, nodded solemnly. Rarely have the sparring neighbours agreed so easily. Coverage of army chief General Ashfaq Kayani focused on revelations that he threatened to oust Zardari last year but held back because he "distrusted" opposition contender Nawaz Sharif. The army issued a statement that Kayani "holds all political leaders in esteem". But most reporters shied away from US intelligence assessments that the army under Kayani continues to support the Taliban and Mumbai attackers Lashkar-e-Taiba. "ISI extols the virtues of some Taliban elements" read one small headline that provided no other details; otherwise loquacious television anchors were largely silent on the matter. One exception was the new Express Tribune paper. "It has always been an open secret that the military acts as puppet master," said an editorial "Only now do we have confirmation of just how tenuous the hold of democracy in the country really is."

Pakistani conspiracy theorists insisted the cables had been deliberately leaked as part of a Washington plot to discredit the Muslim world; the Saudi ambassador described them as "a rapist's propaganda".

But for most Pakistanis, the cables simply confirmed how much influence the US wields over their military and civilian leaders. Several headlines referred to the "WikiLeaks shame"; former diplomat Asif Ezdi said they proved Pakistan had become "the world's biggest banana republic".

The judiciary, meanwhile, liked the cables. Dismissing an attempt to block their publication, High Court judge Sheikh Azmat Saeed, said that WikiLeaks "may cause trouble for some personalities" but would be "good for the progress of the nation in the long run."

Afghanistan

In Afghanistan the Wikileaks disclosure have been a source of endless fascination for the general public, with the country's journalists devoting hours of airtime to pouring over the cables. Among pundits debate has raged about the meaning of the revelations, and even whether they can be believed with some incredulous commentators refusing to accept that the world's most powerful country could ever lose so much confidential information. Some have even suggested it was a put up job by the Americans themselves.

But so far there have been no major political casualties, despite the deeply critical remarks of Hamid Karzai made by his own senior ministers and the US ambassador.

The Afghan president has publicly thrown his support behind Omar Zakhiwal, his finance minister who was quoted in cables describing his boss as "extremely weak man". But a cabinet reshuffle is expected after the new parliament is inaugurated.

Also thought to be vulnerable is Karl Eikenberry, the US ambassador who wrote at times despairing notes back to Washington about Karzai.

The Afghan and US governments have insisted their relationship remains strong but former US ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad has publicly said Eikenberry's position is untenable.

Many believe there is now no chance that he will extend his soon to expire two year term, if he wanted to.

India

In India the reaction to WikiLeaks was initially muted or positive, though the revelations were covered by all sectors of the press, including the local language media. "The first lot of WikiLeaks documents paints a flattering picture of India as a reliable, trusted and respected power in a world that worries itself sick about neighbouring Pakistan," the Times of India newspaper said. Coverage focused on revelations from Pakistan and particularly about Islamabad's security services' relationship with local Islamic extremists. India's external affairs ministry refused to comment on the leak other than to stress its continuing "candid" dialogue with the United States. As the week has passed criticism, both of Western countries and of the leak, has built up, particularly as police in the UK moved to arrest the Wikileaks founder. "The way these governments have been going after Assange and his group raises the question whether what is commonly called the free world is really free," said the Mumbai-based newspaper Daily News Analysis. Others attacked those behind the leak. "There is a strong feeling that the sense of responsibility lacks," union law minister Veerappa Moily told The Guardian yesterday (Wednesday). "This just creates mutual misunderstanding. The trust is endangered by such leaks and that is a very unhealthy trend." Shashi Tharoor, former minister of state for external affairs, called the leaks "unethical and wrong".

"The confidentiality of government communications is the lifeblood of diplomatic comfort," Tharoor told a local reporter. "You do not effectively run a government if your own diplomats cannot report to their own capitals in utter candour." Other commentators however called for an Indian version of the leak, arguing that the Indian bureaucracy was one of the most opaque in the world and could only benefit from public scrutiny. ends

Bangladesh

Julian Assange and WikiLeaks have been on the front page of most newspapers in Bangladesh over the last week. The story has been of particular interest to the country's many students who thronged street tea stalls in Dhaka, the capital, to discuss "how WikiLeaks has shaken the US administration by revealing its confidential cables", according to one local journalist. Anis Pervez, an associate professor at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh, said he had discussed the leaks in his classroom lecture on media ethics. "Every state has sovereignty and sometimes some information can create tension. Then again, there is a dilemma over how much information one should reveal to the public just because he or she has it," he said. One particularly cable alleging that the Islamic extremist group Lashkar-e-Toiba had established sleeper cells in Bangladesh hit headlines. "The information divulged on the WikiLeaks is creating an odd situation for many countries. We have not yet checked the documents found regarding Bangladesh," said Yafeash Osman, state minister for science and technology, said.

Nepal

In Nepal there has therefore been some disappointment that most of the 2,600 documents that were sent from the US Embassy in Kathmandu have not yet to be released. The leaks sparked frantic efforts by Nepali politicians as well as journalists to find out what revelations about the Himalayan nation could be expected with journalists offices in Kathmandu bombarded by calls from politicians and leaderships seeking tips on what might be coming. As elsewhere released cables have been scoured for elements of local interest. Documents suggesting that Maoist rebels had received Indian funding provoked an inevitably strongly worded reaction from Nepal's Maoist party. Other cables touching on the relations between regional giants China and India have also been minutely scrutinised.

Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, the leaks provoked a political and media storm as many focused on the island nation's controversial and bloody recent history. While one effectively accused President Mahinda Rajapaksa of being complicit in war crimes – a charge he denies – another described a diplomatic campaign by British former foreign secretary David Miliband to champion aid and human rights during the Sri Lankan humanitarian crisis last year as largely driven by domestic political calculations. Media reactions have varied. Newspapers loyal to the government have covered the various allegations made in the cables but have particularly focused on material that is embarrassing to the US or the UK The campaigning Sunday Leader however published a call to journalistic arms: "As media acquired books, the powerful enacted bans. As media developed newspapers, the powerful found ways to seal them in courts or seduce them with access and wealth. Through all this one force, however, is constant. You can't keep a good story down. You can't stop the thirst for justice, you can only mask it for a while. This is a lesson that WikiLeaks is teaching the world, and we hope that it will reach Sri Lankan ears."

Asia Pacific

China

China has been tight-lipped. It has also been increasingly keen to stop others from having their say, deleting articles and discussions about the cables. It called the contents of the diplomatic memos "absurd" but has otherwise refused to comment on the information they contain, such as reports of official frustration with North Korea and a source's claim that a senior official was behind the attack on Google.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said yesterday that Beijing hoped the emergence of the cables would not affect relations with Washington.

Censorship has not stopped some people from reading about the cables on overseas websites.

"Reading [about] China and Google, I want to say: WikiLeaks rocks!" one wrote on a microblog service of the popular portal Sina earlier this week.

Another argued: "What Wikileaks says about China must be a slander from the US. What do you think? The US government hates Wikileaks too? It must be a conspiracy."

China Digital Times, which monitors censorship, believes the Central Propaganda Bureau issued an order telling websites not to issue further reports on the cables, although some have reported on Julian Assange's arrest.

Australia

The role of Assange, the country's prodigal son, has generated the most coverage and debate. Referring to him as the 'Ned Kelly of the digital age', Bryce Lowry said: "Assange is a cyber bushranger: a renegade taunter of authority and inspiration to many who marvel at his daring to challenge the status quo." Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the publication of the cables is illegal, and Assange's actions are "grossly irresponsible". She has made it clear the Australian government will offer him no support although the Australian consulate in the UK has offered him access to their services.

The cables themselves reveal an unflattering view of former prime minister – now foreign minister – Kevin Rudd. He was an abrasive, impulsive ''control freak'' who presided over a series of foreign policy blunders. Another cable referenced how Rudd angered the US by detailing a private conversation he had with Bush which included the moment he was "stunned to hear Bush say, 'What's the G20?'"

Rudd retaliated this week. "Mr Assange is not himself responsible for the unauthorised release of 250,000 documents from the US diplomatic communications network. "The Americans are responsible for that," he said.

Ian Black, Angelique Chrisafis, Ian Traynor, Jon Boone, Declan Walsh, Tom Parfitt, Ewen MacAskill, Tom Phillips, Xan Rice, Jason Burke and John Hooper

The Guardian, Friday 10 December 2010

Day of the Turkish instinct awakening

Грант — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 13:23:32 GMT

In 1992, Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan made decision to celebrate Nov. 17 Day of National Revival. 18 years later, this day remembered only by journalists and some members of the same Milli Majlis. "Holiday” is long ago a workday, and its designation remained unclear. There are several reasons, we would talk about.

Long been noted, in the modern Azerbaijan Republic celebrated only the dates that are relevant (or far-fetched) to the activity of Aliyev clan: National Salvation Day - June 15th, Flower Festival - May 10th etc. The Day of "national revival” has no relation to anyone of Aliyevs. Moreover, this holiday could be counted as "anti-Aliyev’s”, since most of the people who made decision on its establishment furiously criticized Heydar Aliyev and were his implacable enemies. "Wiping” this day and targeting to replace it by the Solidarity Day of Azerbaijanis of the world reflects the inter-clan conflicts in Azerbaijan Republic of twenty years ago. Although, the fact that Heydar Aliyev was the puppeteer behind the scene of the Popular Front of Azerbaijan leaders is already proven, still the knowledge of this fact is not necessary for the ordinary everyman of Republic who suddenly became beggar and was deprived of his shelter.

Milli Majlis made decision to establish this "holiday” in memory of first Baku rallies that took up mass character to November 17, 1988. Then, hundreds of thousands of people gathered on Lenin Square in Baku with the demand to evict from Artsakh its indigenous inhabitants - Armenians. Eyewitnesses of this multi-days meeting, until now with understandable disgust remember the emanating stench caused by huge accumulation of not washed people who ate and then urinated and defecated right there where they were. They also recall forgotten now slogans about the "place of Azerbaijanis combat glory” - Khachin Tape near Shusha, as well as anecdotal relict centuries-old trees and "six-winged butterflies”. All this would be ridiculous, if "national revival” won’t turn into the bloody pogroms of Armenians, and then other Christian people everywhere in Azerbaijan SSR. Let’s also recall that pogroms which led to killing and injuring of thousands and outflow of hundreds of thousands of people from Azerbaijan began Nov. 21, 1988. With the background of stinking square and joyful cries of protesters.

Finally, we state that "national renaissance”, driven away, by the soldiers in respiratory masks, turned into a terrible misfortune not only for Armenians, but for the entire region, including Transcaucasian Turks.

"Karabakh bizimdyr!”* - deliriously screamed and raged a huge smelly crowd; the overwhelming majority of them didn’t even know where Karabakh is. Instead they knew where Armenians live in Baku. The Housing maintenance firms and passport offices provided lists and addresses of Armenians… "Death to Armenians!” – squealed "in righteous anger” old and young, men and women sprinkling greedy saliva. They went by crowds into the Armenian houses by brandishing axes, as if they had nomad ancestors’ banner. Not-washed and feral rapists and murders brought into Armenian houses: axe, fire, violence, death. They were not under the influence of drugs, as today some conscientious representatives of Transcaucasian Turks attempt to submit it. The superhuman, truly bestial cruelty of killers and rapists explained only by the power of ethic instinct’s broken loose.

The expression "national revival” is interesting by itself. What revival do they talk about? What nation do they mean? In fact, if the word "nation” means multi-ethic population of former Azerbaijan SSR, then we must admit that the "revival” became a tragedy for a lot of them. Thus, over the years from an abstract concept "Azerbaijani nation” totally disappeared Armenians, the presence of Russians, Ukrainians, Georgians and Jews became symbolic.

However, we won’t dissemble: in this case by the term "nation” should be understood only recently scattered nomadic Turkic tribes of Transcaucasia. Their "revival” should be discussed. Other nations of Azerbaijan Republic practically have no relations to the mass acts of vandalism, murders and cannibalism that had place in this republic after the "national revival” of Transcaucasian Turks. Moreover, thanks to Azerbaijan indigenous peoples - Avars, Talyshs, Lezghins, Tsakhurs, Udines - were rescued hundreds and thousands of Armenians in Baku, Sumgait and many other places of this republic.

From the other side, the Day of National Revival in Azerbaijan should be renamed in the day of inter-tribal unification, since at that day Afshars, Padars, Shahsevens, Terekemens, Karapapakhs and other white and black sheep forgetting their century-old mutual claims, rushed to rob and kill, rape and burn the Armenian population of the republic. They all were united by the bloodthirsty Moloch Turkic instinct of the crowd, they all had the common flag - axe. Inside of Transcaucasian Turk awoke cowardly killer instinct; the animal able that was able to rape on a pavement a child and an old women. Baku’s asphalt, same as in 1905 and 1918 turned into arena of incredible cruelty, bestial nature of Talaat and Nuri, Enver and Asadov descendants… In broad daylight, in front of the whole world, in Azerbaijan cities took place the intercourse of past and present of the never washed Turkish nomad – rapist with wearing modern clothes Transcaucasian Turk - rapist. The result of it is a biological impregnation of ramils safarovs, shahins tagiyevs, murderers of Manvel Saribekian, moral impregnation of akpers gasanovs and rizvans huseynovs…

This was not a revival, as Azerbaijan propaganda people are trying to present today. In 1988 world witnessed awakening of never slept instinct of the Transcaucasian Turk. Observers of the crowd’s unprecedented cruelty afterword will call this phenomenon "Azerbaijani crowd’s factor”; discouraged and confused politicians and psychologists will look for ways to appease this "factor”. They didn’t find. They couldn’t find, since hereditary rapist and killer recognizes only force. Force similar to the one he faced in Artsakh Republic, where he arrived to quench his eternal thirst for blood.

Worthwhile to note that National Revival Day of Transcaucasian Turk marked as a beginning of the end of their cultivated "custom” to cut out defenseless Armenian population after defeat on the battlefield. Today they are completely deprived of this possibility, since in the rear of Azerbaijan there are no more Armenian settlements. Transcaucasian Turks deprived their children of the opportunity and pleasure to cut and rape unarmed Armenian citizens and peasants by expelling from this republic its indigenous inhabitants. Today, Armenian Army is face to face with Azerbaijan, and Turks not by hearsay know its irresistible force and formidable power.

Breaking off teeth of the Armenian states, Transcaucasian Turks sooner or later again will have a blood lust, since Turkish instinct inside of them never sleeps. That’s what not-Turkish people of Azerbaijan that are unrelated to the National Revival Day should think about.

Levon MELIK-SHAHNAZARYAN

* Karabakh is ours! (interpreter’s footnote)

Eynulla Fatullayev - terrorist, drug-addict, killer and the traitor

Грант — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 13:21:28 GMT

Three and a half years ago I published article "Eynulla, be careful! Authorities are ready to murder”, where I expressed concern over the fate of the young and honest Azerbaijani journalist. I never considered Eynulla Fatullayev - the Chief Editor of "Real Azerbaijan” and "Gundalik Azerbaijan” – as pro-Armenian journalist, but his articles always had author’s will to be objective: both in highlighting of Azeri-Karabakh conflict and in describing of Azerbaijan’s domestic affairs. This Fatullayev’s position inspires respect and my three years old article was dictated by this inspiration.

Six weeks later after my article E. Fatullayev was arrested. He was accused in insulting former residents of Hojaly in the cycle of his articles "Karabakh Diary”; he was sentenced to imprisonment to 2 years 6 months. Note, even before that, in September 2006, Fatullayev was sentenced to two years probation. That time he was judged by the claim of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan Ramil Usubov who considered himself insulted by Eynulla publications.

E. Fatullayev's case continued to overgrow by verdicts and appeals; however, he still was sitting in the jail, and newspapers edited by him were forbidden. Moreover, entire property of the newspapers was taken out in an unknown direction by R. Usubov’s staff. In short, Eynulla was not only arrested, but also robbed. Nevertheless, Fatullayev wasn’t killed, as his friend and accomplice Elmar Huseynov. Bahaddin Gazyev was taken away from the city, tried to kill by "unknowns”, severely beaten then they few times drove over his legs and, believing dead he was left on the route. Another journalist also wasn’t killed! - Agil Khalil- left Azerbaijan after four (! L.M.-Sh) attempts on his life. In Azerbaijan people are used to kill by ax, and it’s almost impossible to come to the journalists with an ax.

Back to Eynulla Fatullayev. After many appeals, the attorneys of Fatullayev turned to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Then Azerbaijan government well understanding, how clumsy bungled Fatullayev’s case decided "to forestall”; as a result additional charge – threat of terrorism - condemning Eynulla to 8 and a half years. Fatullayev’s "guilt” was in describing possible scenario of US aggression against Iran. Fatullayev reasonably noted that in case of Baku assistance to Washington, Iran could respond by rocket attacks on oil and gas fields and other strategic sites of Azerbaijan. Article was considered as call to terrorism, and Fatullayev already serving a sentence for "insult of Hojaly people”, got six more years.

Nevertheless, on April 22 this year the European Court for Human Rights examined the complaint of arrested journalist and ordered his immediate release from detention. In its decision European Court noted that Azerbaijan many times have violated judicial proceedings of the Convention on "Protection of Rights and the major freedoms”. In turn, Azerbaijan government disputed this solution and appealed to the ECHR Grand Chamber.

Necessary to say, that not everyone in Azerbaijan government is disabled: some of them have symptoms of the mind – no speech on morality - even perverted. Last year, December 30 in E. Fatullayev’s camera was "found” 0, 223 grams (what enviable accuracy! - L.M.-SH.) of heroin; this led to a new criminal case. After the ECHR decision - July 6 this year - Eynulla was sentenced to another period: 2 and half years on art. 234.1 of Azerbaijan Criminal Code: "illegal manufacture, production, acquisition, storage, transportation, transfer or sale of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or precursors”. Thus, Eynulla was presented to the "community” as terrorist and drug user who offended Azeris.

New Court decision followed by new Fatullayev’s appeal, where he proved, that drugs were dropped by the prison authorities. The appellate court took place on November 5 in Baku and began with a curiosity: Fatullayev’s lawyer I. Ashurov stated that he needs time to prepare for the process, since he received a notice only yesterday. Fatullayev said that he didn’t get subpoena, was awakened this morning and led to the court. These arguments didn’t affect the court, the process got continued, and therefore Ashurov left session in protest. This also didn’t stop court. Court hearing, in violation of procedural standards continued the session. At judge’s question, if Fatullayev gives outlet to the court, defendant replied that he gives outlet to entire Azerbaijan state!

After that judge ordered to arrest Fatullayev who was already arrested for three and a half years! "This is not a state, but a gathering of robbers! - exclaimed Fatullayev. What does it mean to arrest? Do I walk on "Torgovaya” street?!” Court, however, wasn’t interested where the prisoner walks; conferring for an hour court got a verdict about…Fatullayev’s arrest. Without specifying the period of arrest.

This new farce with journalist’s arrest is connected with the fact that on November 11 will be held the Plenum of the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan, which is to "discuss” the ECHR decision on the immediate release of Fatullayev. If before there was a glimmering hope, that Azerbaijan will execute the ECHR verdict, then now it seems as solved: Baku does not intend to release from custody illegally arrested journalist.

Strictly speaking, it became clear earlier, when 1nyuz.az published the article of well-known MNS provocateur and informant Rizvan Huseynov, where he accused E. Fatullayev in connections with the intelligence agencies of Armenia, obtaining finance from Yerevan and… murder of Elmar Huseynov. R. Huseynov also repeats words of another provocateur and rogue in Azerbaijani journalism, main "defender” of former Hojaly people and fake "participant of Karabakh military operations” Tatiana Chaladze, "blaming” Fatullayev in the fact that he used materials of my and Ike Demoyan joint study "Hojaly case. Special folder”. Since R. Huseynov and T. Chaladze are "regular mouthpieces” of Azerbaijani public opinion (read - Azerbaijani government); must be assumed that E. Fatullayev could be also accused in treason, and murder of Elmar Huseynov.

”What about the European Court of Human Rights?”, naive reader could ask. Nothing. Actually, go to hell all these courts: European courts and all courts of the world. Azerbaijan has enough of oil barrels for each court. All disagreed will rot in prisons on trumped up charges. Finally (I. Aliyev knows it perfectly well), ECHR reflects the interests of European states, whose eyes are covered with black oil.

Levon MELIK-SHAHNAZARYAN