 | Iran strengthens its borders |
Secret service begins deporting Azeris from border
The Iranian special service bodies began to deport the residents of the East Azerbaijan province along the Azerbaijani-Iranian border last week. In parallel, two military bases of the Iranian Air Forces have been situated on the Khoruzlu mountain surrounding the Ardabil and Parsabad provinces bordering Azerbaijan, the World Azerbaijanis Congress (WAC) has told AssA-Irada.
WAC quoted its representative in Ardabil as reporting that Pashazada has been appointed commander of the military bases set up over the past week. At present, the dissatisfaction among the provincial population is growing.
According to WAC, the employees of the Iranian special service bodies are settled in the dwellings of the Azerbaijani Turks who are moved from the border-line territories to settlements densely populated by Persians. The reasons for the increase in the number of troops stationed along the border, including movement of local Azerbaijanis are related to alleged the US military threat against Iran, using the territory of Azerbaijan.
Local and foreign media earlier reported on the deployment of 15,000 US military forces in Azerbaijan, while Washington rebuffed the reports, terming them as rumors.
The Iranian embassy in Azerbaijan, in its turn, disproved all the reports.
CE increases pressure
The Monday morning meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Bureau confirmed the agenda of summer session, including the issue of political inmates in it despite the protest of the Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation.
The issue was included in the agenda at a meeting of the PACE Bureau with 9 for and 5 against. A CE source has told AssA-Irada the Azerbaijani delegates failed to defer the issue till the presidential elections, and further discuss it at winter session of PACE. Head of the Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation to PACE and member of the Bureau Ilham Aliyev proposed postponing discussion of the issue until the winter session of PACE, as the prisoners included in the list of political inmates have been released on a recent presidential decree after the preparation of a report by PACE Political Committee rapporteur for Azerbaijan George Clerfayt.
Russian, Georgian and French parliamentarians also protested against the inclusion of the issue in the agenda. In particular, member of the Bureau Dmitriy Rogozin of Russia stated: "On one hand you invite Azerbaijan to combat terrorism, on the other hand punish it, labeling terrorists as political prisoners."
However, nothing seemed to convince PACE President to change his decision.
Thus, the issue of political inmates in Azerbaijan will be discussed at a PACE meeting on Thursday as originally scheduled, when George Clerfayt will deliver his report.
Mr. Clerfayt was on an official visit to Baku in May and was at several prisoners in Baku.
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Issue No.25 (311), 2003
Iran strengthens its bordersArmenia might be deprived of PACE mandateOSCE concerned by problems of head-scarfed womenAzerbaijani companies invited to Iraqi revivalGov't to sell shares in Azercell, Bakcell by year-endNews DigestNationNews in BriefPresidential election round-upOpposition NewsBusinessOil & Gas NewsArts & CultureMiscellaneous
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