Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BAKU946
2006-06-27 13:20:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baku
Cable title:  

AZERBAIJAN: FIRES IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

Tags:  PREL PGOV PBTS AM AJ 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUEHKB #0946 1781320
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 271320Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAKU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0659
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNOSC/ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY COOPERATION IN EUROPE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000946 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/27/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS AM AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: FIRES IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

REF: YEREVAN 851

Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES JASON P. HYLAND PER 1.4 (B,D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000946

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/27/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS AM AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: FIRES IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

REF: YEREVAN 851

Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES JASON P. HYLAND PER 1.4 (B,D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: For the past several weeks, fires in the
Armenian-occupied territories of Aghdam, Khojavand, and
Tartar have been a constant news item and subject of
commentary by politicians and analysts. The Azerbaijani press
and Members of Parliament (MPs) have focused on blaming
Armenian forces for intentionally setting the fires, but
official GOAJ statements focus on environmental concerns. One
Member of Parliament (MP) who traveled to the Line of Contact
near the affected area told Poloff that he believed the fires
could not have happened naturally. Another MP stated to the
press that in her opinion, Armenia is preparing to vacate the
districts and is trying to damage the land before doing so.
One Azerbaijani political analyst argued that it is more
likely that the fires were due to a natural cause. The OSCE
will conduct a fact-finding mission in the affected areas
July 3-5. END SUMMARY


2. (U) The Azerbaijani press claims that a series of fires in
the Armenian-occupied territories of Aghdam, Khojavand, and
Tartar were set intentionally by Armenian armed forces.
Twenty residential areas have reportedly been destroyed, as
well as 200 hectares of land used to sow grain and thousands
of hectares of pastures. The strong winds typical of the area
have made the fires difficult to extinguish. In a statement
to the press, the Ecology and Natural Resources Ministry
estimated the damage to be 4,084,026 Manats (USD 4.5 million).


3. (SBU) Although rhetoric from MPs blamed Armenia for
intentionally setting the fires, GOAJ officials made more
neutral comments. At a meeting with Council of Europe Deputy
Secretary General Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Azerbaijani

SIPDIS
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov stressed only his concern
regarding the disaster, and stated that Armenia must take
responsibility whether or not the blazes were intentional.
The Baku Declaration adopted by the recent Islamic Conference
of Foreign Ministers touches upon the issue as well. Without
assigning blame, it expresses deep concern over the fires and
demands that the occupying forces "take urgent measures to
prevent ecological disaster."


4. (C) In a meeting with Poloff, MP Iqbal Agazade described
what he saw during his visit to the front line of the
conflict. He confirmed the extent of the damage reported in
the press, and insisted there is no possibility the source of
the fires is a natural cause. Another MP who visited the
area, Qanira Pashayeva, described her observation in a
statement to the press, noting that Armenia knows it is time
to vacate the districts, and by setting the fires it aims to
damage arable land and to prevent the land from being sowed.
This kind of speculation is the most frequent explanation
given for the fires in the local press.


5. (C) In a separate meeting with Poloff, political analyst
Rasim Musabayov shared his view that it is possible the fires
began from natural causes. In his opinion, it does not make
sense that Armenians would intentionally destroy land that
they occupy. But, he argued, that does not diminish Armenia's
responsibility to contain the spread of the fire and to care
for inhabitants who were forced from their homes. Musabayov
points out that although less likely, it is possible that
Armenian forces intentionally set the blaze. If this is the
case, he feels it was most likely to provoke Azerbaijan into
military conflict. He also mentioned that Armenia could be
trying to destroy evidence of the growth and transit of
illegal narcotics, or perhaps has realized the land will be
returned to Azerbaijan and is trying to cause as much damage
as possible.


6. (C) A member of the OSCE monitoring team to Nagorno
Karabakh and the occupied territories, Peter Keay, told
Poloff that the team will conduct a fact-finding mission July
3-5 in the areas around Aghdam and Martuni/Khojavand, where
the Azerbaijani side claims the fires were started. The team
has also planned a routine monitoring trip on June 28 to
Yusifjanli in the Aghdam region, which Keay feels will
provide a good opportunity to further appraise the situation.
Although he had not visited the region recently, Keay stated
that there are usually fires in the area surrounding the
front line at this time of year. He concluded that in his
personal opinion, there is no reason to believe the fires
were started intentionally. Keay will notify Poloff of the
team's observations after traveling to the occupied territory.
HYLAND