Armenian Azeri State

[MJ]

Armenian Azeri exiles to proclaim own state - Cuxursaad, Baku paper says

 

Zerkalo

24 May 20

 

BAKU

 

Text of I. Umudlu report by Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo on 24 May entitled

"Second Azeri state?.. It is essential!"

 

Setting up of representative bodies is the first step

 

This is not a new idea. The first such attempt was made in early 1990, but

the Goyca-Zangazur Democratic Republic and the Iravan [Yerevan]

government-in-exile, proclaimed on the territory of the Azerbaijani Republic,

suspended their activities after a short while.

 

At present the problem is again on the agenda and work has started on it. An

initiative group for holding a constituent congress of the political

representative office-in-exile of the Iravan and Zangazur population held its

regular meeting yesterday [23 May]. Yesterday's meeting discussed principles

for determining the composition of the consultative board under the future

organizing committee. An organizing committee is expected to be formed soon.

 

The legal basis for raising the issue has been drawn up by the centre for

strategic research. This is as follows: Azerbaijan is not authorized to

resolve the problems of the population of the districts ceded to Armenia

until the decision recognizing Iravan as the capital of the Armenian Republic

and the decision by the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic to cede

Zangazur and other districts to Armenia, are annulled. In their opinion, in

line with its constitution Azerbaijan is the successor of the Azerbaijani

Democratic Republic [1918-20] which, in turn, is the successor of the Iravan

khanate, Kars and Aras-Turkic Republics.

 

The committee-in-exile will list the resources left there, a census of the

exiled population and elections for parliament. The parliament will in turn

form a government and the proclaimed state will be named Cuxursaad (Western

Azerbaijan). The citizenship issue will be resolved later - dual citizenship

will be permitted.

 

The next stage is to prove that the Ararat Republic [in northeastern Turkey

in 1927-31] and the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic carried out genocide

against them [Azeris exiled from Armenia]. An appeal will be sent to the UN,

UNESCO and the Hague Tribunal for damages from the Republic of Armenia. There

are plans to hold the 1st Congress of deportees from the territory of the

so-called Republic of Armenia in December 2001.

 

Some of the initiators believe that although some people see this initiative

as romantic and detached from reality, work must be carried out in this

direction. Others believe that we are even a bit late with this. We should

have thought about this back in 1988. However, the majority believes that it

is not too late now.