EYNULLA FATULAYEV: "THE DEVELOPMENT LEVEL OF CIVIL SOCIETY SURPRISED ME MOST IN KARABAKH"

PanARMENIAN.Net - It is the third visit of Fatulayev to Nagorno-Karabakh. Fatulayev is the political correspondent of an oppositional Azeri magazine called "Monitor". He was in Stepanakert in 1995 and 1999. At that time, he was not engaged in journalism. He was a politician and was involved in various public activities. He was one of the staunch supporters of Heidar Aliev and headed the youth wing of the ruling "Yeni Azerbaijan" party. For some period, Fatulayev even occupied the post of the advisor of the Minister of Labor. Not long ago, he anyway joined the opposition and currently his publications trouble certain political figures from Aliev's clan about whom he has managed to learn a lot when involved in their team. Fatulayev can be called the most scandalous Azeri political journalist. After his journalistic investigation about the links of Aliev's regime with the Kurdish terrorist "RKK" organization, his life was made an attempt on. He was wounded and now he again has grounds to worry about his security.

If during his previous trips to Karabakh Fatulayev acted from dictation of the President's administration, his last visit was not arranged with state authorities. Furthermore, he openly ignored the calls of the administration and the threats of radical Azeri groupings such as "Karabakh Liberation Organization". On the letterhead of "Monitor" magazine, the journalist wrote a letter to the President of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Arkadi Ghukasyan asking to create necessary conditions for preparing a series of materials about the life of Karabakh. Karabakh authorities gave their consent. Fatulayev arrived in Stepanakert via Tbilisi and Yerevan. Karabakh authorities took care that he could visit the regions controlled by NKR defense army. Fatulayev appreciated the openness of Karabakh administration. "NKR authorities have carried out all their obligations. All the necessary conditions for my activities were created without any restrictions. A lot of attention was paid to my security and there were no excesses", said the journalist returning to Baku.

In the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh, which by the way Fatulayev calls Stepanakert and not Khankendi, he talked with President Arkadi Ghukasyan for about 5 hours, had a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Arman Melikyan the leaders of the local department of Dashnaktsutyun party and simple people. Fatulayev speaks well of Ghukasyan and Melikyan, saying that they produce an impression of open people. "I saw that they were ready for a constructive dialogue and I think we can arrive at a common conclusion with those people", the Azeri journalist says.

Fatulayev managed to interview also the Azeris living in Karabakh. According to his information, there are 15 Azeri families living in Stepanakert and 10 families in Askeran. "I was invited by an inhabitant of Askeran region Tofik Rasoulov. He and his family live quietly and peacefully in Karabakh", says Eynula, mentioning also that there is no anti-Azerbaijanian hysteria in Nagorno-Karabakh. The journalist confirms that living in former Azeri villages there are Armenian refugees from Sumgait and Baku. According to Fatulayev, "Baku mass media lie, saying that Armenians destroy Azeri cemeteries".

Many things surprised Eynula in Karabakh. "Most of all I was surprised to see the development of civil and democratic institutions in Karabakh. I was in the occupied territories five years ago and, to tell the truth, a lot has changed during that period. The military-political regime has transformed to a semi-democracy", shares Fatulayev with his colleagues. "Functioning in NKR there are independent mass media. I got acquainted with their oppositional editions. They strongly criticize everyday problems including corruption, the work of officials and so on. NKR authorities are nervous at the criticism, but they remain restrained." Fatulayev says. What is more inconceivable for Fatulayev is that a country, having recently passed through war, an opposition leader could be democratically elected the major of the capital.

The guest from Azerbaijan has also focused his attention to the rates of economic growth of Karabakh. He noticed the active construction works being under way in the country. "Stepanakert is fully reconstructed. It has a population of 30-40 thousand people. Construction of new houses is at full speed not far from Shoushi church.", says the journalist.

Following his visit to Karabakh Fatulayev came to the idea that Azerbaijan has practically no chances of getting back Karabakh. "Restoration of the former status of Karabakh is impossible since a lot of blood has been shed." Fatulayev says. Fatulayev also mentioned about the readiness of Karabakh leaders to compromise and does not exclude the possibility of successful negotiations in case they are focused not on the autonomous status of Karabakh but on the horizontal relations between Stepanakert and Baku." The young generation of Karabakh has already got accustomed to the thought that Karabakh is a separate administrative subject and is not a part of Azerbaijan. After several years, that generation will come to power and business will have its role in Karabakh society. At that time, it will be much more difficult to come to an agreement with those people than with the current "ruling group", Eynula Fatulayev says.

It would be strange if the courageous estimations of the journalist did not arouse a burst of activities among Azeri jingoes. They have already managed to accuse Fatulayev of betrayal. According to the publications in the Azeri press, a new campaign is being prepared against him. It should be reminded that the previous campaign ended with an attempt on his life. It seems that the journalist is ready for the hardest reaction of local radicals. Lawyer Eldar Zeynalov who by the way has also been to Karabakh, supposes that Eynula is ready to petition to the embassy of a western country to receive the status of a political refugee right at the first provocation. It is undesirable to think that the trip to Karabakh and the objective observations of the journalist were only aimed at getting to the West. It is more likely that the actions of Fatulayev were prompted by civil position, which only deserve a welcome.

Artyom Yerkanyan