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  • BAKU: Visiting US Senator Does Not Expect Revolution In Azerbaijan -

    VISITING US SENATOR DOES NOT EXPECT REVOLUTION IN AZERBAIJAN - TV
    Zamina Aliyeva, Sehrac Azadoglu, ANS.

    ANS TV, Baku
    31 Aug 05

    [Presenter] US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard
    Lugar and Senator Barack Obama ended their visit to Azerbaijan today
    [31 August].

    [Passage omitted: reported details of the senators' meetings with
    Azeri leader and opposition representatives]

    Lugar gave a news conference on the results of the visit. Lugar,
    who is described as a grey cardinal behind the Orange Revolution in
    Ukraine, said that he was expecting no revolution in Azerbaijan.

    [Correspondent over video of news conference] The USA is concerned
    about the composition of electoral commissions, the failure to
    ensure that one person will cast one vote and the creation of equal
    conditions for candidates in the mass media, US Senate Foreign
    Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar and Senator Barack Obama
    said after their meeting with the Azerbaijani opposition which was
    held behind closed doors. At their news conference, the senators made
    some other statements about the [6 November] parliamentary election.

    Lugar said that they praised Azerbaijan. Lugar, who is believed to
    have a special position in the implementation of orange revolutions
    [as heard], also answered questions about the possibility of revolution
    in Azerbaijan.

    [Lugar in English, with Azeri voice-over] I do not stage revolutions.
    I want the world to know me as a person bringing optimism. I expect
    no revolution in Azerbaijan. I believe that fair and free polls will
    be held. We learnt at the talks with opposition representatives that
    the registration of candidates passed off without trouble. This must
    be regarded as a step forward.

    [Correspondent] Senator Lugar believes that the polls would be
    undoubtedly fair if the instructions signed on 11 May by the president
    [on improving electoral practices] is carried out, voters are not given
    several voter ID cards, exit polls are held and international observes
    are enabled to observe the voting process without obstacle. The
    Nagornyy Karabakh problem was also discussed during the senators'
    visit. Senator Lugar regarded as absolutely normal the allocation
    of funds to Nagornyy Karabakh by the USA. He expressed the hope that
    the conflict would be settled through talks.

    [Lugar speaking in English, with Azeri voice-over] The USA allocated
    humanitarian aid to Nagornyy Karabakh. We are trying to give equal
    aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan every year. I can add that more aid
    would be allocated to Azerbaijan within the framework of the Lugar
    initiative programme and this will be added to funds which are to be
    allocated to the country. We hope that the conflict will be settled
    peacefully and regrettable consequences will be coped with.

    [Correspondent] Senator Barack Obama of Illinois defended valiantly
    his signing of the Armenians' letter about the so-called genocide.

    [Obama speaking in English, with Azeri voice-over] The letter was
    full of historical facts about the killing of thousands of Armenians.
    I express the position of the state which I represent. I think that
    the killing of civilians is inadmissible.

    [Correspondent] Commenting on the killing of hundreds of people in
    Xocali [Armenian-occupied Azeri town], Mr Obama confined himself to
    saying that he had information about that. The senators also touched
    on the ongoing production of nuclear weapon by Iran and said that
    this posed a threat to Azerbaijan as well. The guests expressed
    their satisfaction with cooperation with Azerbaijan in the security
    sphere and said that the two countries would start cooperation for
    border protection.
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