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The following is a collection of quotes and statements attributed
to various members of Azerbaijan's political and military establishment,
in the period between 2002 and 2006.
These statements are characterized by a common tone and expressed
elements of war and hate rhetoric.
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CONTENTS |
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War Rhetoric |
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Hate Rhetoric |
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Statements Calling for Suicide Bombings Against Armenians |
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Statements Regarding the Murder of an Armenian Officer by
Ramil Safarov of Azerbaijan's Armed Forces While Both Were Attending
a NATO/PFP Course in Budapest in 2002 |
March 2006
| WAR RHETORIC |
President
Ilham Aliyev
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"At any moment we must be able to liberate our territories by military means.
To achieve this we have everything."
Agence France Press, 7/25/05
"Azerbaijan will soon become economically strong, and militarily superior. [Until
then] we cannot react positively to those calling us to
compromise."
Zerkalo Daily, Baku, 7/23/04
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Gen. Safar Abiyev
Minister of Defense
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Asked if the Azeri army is ready "to go to Yerevan,"
Min. Abiyev replied: "We can go even farther."
Azerbaijan News Service via BBC Monitoring 3/22/02
"The Armenian state was created on occupied Azeri lands."
Azerbaijan News Service, 12/7/01 |
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Col. Ramiz Melikov
Spokesperson
Ministry of Defense
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"When our hopes [for a favorable settlement] drop below 5 percent... we will
launch war."
Zerkalo Daily (Baku), 3/17/05 |
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On June 25, 2005 speaking at the graduation ceremony
for Azerbaijan's military
school, [President of Azerbaijan Ilham] Aliev announced
a 70% increase in
military spending [in 2005, compared to 2004]. Starting
from [2004], Azerbaijani
defense officials have begun attending military exhibitions
in the United
Arab Emirates and Qatar with plans to purchase foreign
military hardware.
With the promise of oil money and with half of its population still young, Azerbaijan's
chances of becoming a strong military power in the South
Caucasus seem great. Within several years, Azerbaijan's
military budget could be equal to the entire budget
of Armenia.
Jamestown Foundation Eurasia Daily Monitor
Volume 2, Issue 14 (July 25, 2005)
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ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN NATIONAL DEFENSE EXPENDITURES
FOR 2004-2006 (Million USD) |
Sources:
Armenia:National Budget, Defense Expenditures,
www.mil.am
Azerbaijan: Jamestown Foundation Eurasia Daily Monitor
Volume 2, Issue 143 (July 25, 2005)
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| HATE RHETORIC |
Hajibala Abutalybov
Mayor of Baku |
"Our goal is the complete elimination of Armenians. You
the Nazis already eliminated the Jews in the 1930s and 40s,
right? Then you will understand us".
At a 2005 meeting with a municipal delegation from Bavaria,
Germany, when asked to comment on the Nagorno Karabakh peace
process
RealAzer.com 2/17/06
www.realazer.com/_45/st1.htm
"This is an Armenian cemetery, and it needs to be destroyed."
Commenting, in 2006, on plans by the city government to demolish
the old Christian cemetery of Baku, to make way for the construction
of a new luxury apartment complex and a highway.
RealAzer.com 2/17/06
www.realazer.com/_45/st1.htm
Note: The above statements attributed
to Mayor Abutalybov have been reported only by one source
--
www.realazer.com .
This is a Baku-based news and commentary website founded and
directed by Einulla Fatullayev. Mr. Fatullayev is a well-known
journalist, the author of numerous articles and analysis on
South Caucasus regional affairs, and Azerbaijani domestic
issues, with focus on civil society, democracy, and anti-corruption.
However, no other source has referred to these statements:
their accuracy or veracity, therefore, could not be independently
established at this time.
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Col. Ramiz Melikov
Spokesperson
Ministry of Defense
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"Within the next 25-years there will be no state of Armenia in the South Caucasus.
These people … have no right to live in this region.
Modern Armenia was built on historical Azerbaijani lands. I
think that in 25-30 years its territory will again come under
Azerbaijan's jurisdiction".
RFE/RL, 8/04/04; Zerkalo Daily (Baku), 8/4/04
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Rovshan Mustafayev National Academy of Sciences
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All ethnic Armenians should be treated "as not a nation, but an organization,"which
is aggressive and dangerous.
525ci Gazet Newspaper, Baku, 4/1/03 |
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Havva Mammadova
MP, YeniAzerbaycan Party
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"The time has come to wipe the Armenian state off the face of the earth."
Zerkalo Daily (Baku) 2/14/06
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| STATEMENTS
CALLING FOR SUICIDE BOMBINGS AGAINST ARMENIANS |
Asia Manafova
Member of Parliament
Yeni Azerbaycan Party
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"Our people must … free Karabakh from Armenian occupiers. To achieve
this goal we are ready to… undertake acts of suicide
bombing. "Manafova also called on Parliament members
to become suicide bombers.
Regnum News Agency (Moscow),
www.regnum.ru, 12/15/03
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Azerbaijan News Service (ANS)
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ANS has endorsed the recruitment of suicide bombers
from among thousands of orphaned and homeless children in Azerbaijan.
ANS via BBC Monitoring 10/13/02
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| STATEMENTS
REGARDING THE MURDER, BY RAMIL SAFAROV, AN AZERBAIJANI OFFICER,
OF AN ARMENIAN OFFICER WHILE BOTH WERE ATTENDING A NATO/PFP
COURSE IN BUDAPEST IN 2002 |
Col. Ramiz Melikov
Spokesperson
Ministry of Defense |
"Safarov is a talented and disciplined officer. I, as an Azeri, understand
and support Safarov's actions."
Regnum News Agency (Moscow),
www.regnum.ru, 2/25/04
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Agshin Mekhtiyev
Azerbaijan's Ambassador
to the Council of Europe
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Warned of more attacks on individual Armenians, adding that he "would not
advise Armenians to sleep easy in their beds."
Zerkalo Daily, Baku, 2/24/04
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Siyavush Novruzov
Member of Parliament
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Told Terry Davis, the Envoy of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe (PACE), that "similar incidents"could occur in PACE as
well.
Ekho Daily, Baku 2/27/04
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Elmira Suleimanova
Human Rights Ombudsman |
Safarov should serve as "an example for Azerbaijani youth."
Zerkalo Daily, Baku, 2/28/04
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