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  • BAKU: Azeri reporter has positive impression of Karabakh tour

    Azeri reporter has positive impression of Karabakh tour

    Yeni Musavat, Baku
    22 Feb 05

    Excerpt from Sevinc Telmanqizi report by Azerbaijani newspaper Yeni
    Musavat on 22 February headlined "'Armenians attacked me in Lacin'"
    and subheaded "Eynulla Fatullayev has returned from Nagornyy Karabakh"

    Eynulla Fatullayev, editor of the Monitor magazine and prominent
    journalist, has returned from a tour of Nagornyy Karabakh with loads
    of news, pictures and fond memories. Visiting ancient places in the
    occupied districts of Nagornyy Karabakh, talking to Armenians and even
    Azerbaijanis there, our colleague backed Armenian "ministers" and
    "mayors" into a tight corner with questions. It is intriguing that
    despite all these aspects of the visit, our colleague has a pleasant
    impression.

    We asked Fatullayev to share his impressions of the 11-day tour of
    Karabakh.

    [Passage omitted: Fatullayev had meetings in Yerevan]

    [Fatullayev] On 12 February, I left Yerevan for Xankandi, Susa, Lacin
    and Agdam. Actually, I was the first Azerbaijani to visit Agdam after
    the truce. I was treated well in Agdam and Susa. However, the attitude
    towards me was aggressive in Lacin. The Armenians living there
    attacked me, saying that this is their land and wondered about the aim
    of my visit. However, my security was arranged very well. I asked them
    who they are and they said they are refugees from villages of Agdara
    District, which is under Azerbaijani control. There are Armenians from
    Yevlax and Baku in Lacin.

    People are settling in 10-15 villages of Agdam. There are about 15
    houses, very few enterprises and small shops. All the houses in Agdam
    have been razed to the ground.

    [Passage omitted: Armenians hate Agdam residents]

    [Correspondent] Did you interview people you were planning to meet?

    [Fatullayev] I interviewed [Karabakh separatist leader] Arkadiy
    Gukasyan and the mayor of Stepanakert. Because of the three-year ban
    on [ex-defence minister] Samvel Babayan's entry into Karabakh, I could
    not interview him. I also met some Azerbaijanis in Asgaran, where a
    dozen of them are still living.

    [Passage omitted: one of them is from Ucar District; Fatullayev held a
    press conference for Karabakh reporters]

    [Correspondent] What were Armenian journalists interested in?

    [Fatullayev] They were keen on my views about the ongoing processes in
    Karabakh. I said that the switch from the police regime to a
    semi-civil society had taken place in Karabakh and free polls were
    held, the opposition won, the media was free and there was political
    rivalry. Political freedom is stronger there than in Armenia. At all
    meetings, they wondered about public opinion in Azerbaijan. My
    impression of the meetings with the Karabakh political leadership is
    that they are ready for horizontal relations with Azerbaijan.

    [Passage omitted: young generation is accustomed to living without
    Azerbaijan; no video filming in Agdam was permitted]

    [Correspondent] You are very positive about the visit and I cannot
    hear a word of criticism about the Armenians. Do you not think that
    this will cause a negative reaction among the public?

    [Fatullayev] I was in the same mood before my trip to Karabakh and did
    not witness any anti-Azerbaijani hysteria. Maybe, they were only
    pretending. However, my observation is that they hate the Azerbaijani
    authorities, not our people.
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