Kremlin to act soon on dispute

Press, 24 March 1988, Page 10

Kremlin to act soon on dispute

NZPA-Reuter : Moscow The Kremlin is expected to take [ action soon on | Armenian demands over a disputed Azerbaijani region which has I been [ the focus of mass protests and. ethnic bloodshed for the last month, | Armenian sources say. ■ ! . I .... Sources in tlje Armenian capita], Yerevan, told Reuters that] a decree from the Presidium of the Supreme ' Soviet could come as as today — three days before protest organisers stage whalt they are calling “the most explosive day.” They spoke as top legislators in other! Soviet republics unanimously called on the [Presidium, the highest State body, to take “resolute measures” to ensure the Constitution was respected in Armenia and Azerbaijan. Breaking Ia ! selfimposed moratorium on demonstrations I which massed up to one [million in Yerevan last 1 month, protesters have taken to the streets again this week to demand that the disputed I region, Na-gorno-Karabakh, be reunited with Armenia.

Their month-long truce on mass action expires on Saturday. The Government newspaper,! “Izvestia,” said yesterday that Yerevan organisers, vowing to fight to thb death, had decided [‘to 'declare March 26 the most explosive day”. ; Nagorno-Karabakh, an Azerbaijani region separated from neighbouring Armenia by a mountain range, iis I populated mainly by ethnic Armenians/ aI Christian people with a long history of pension with the Muslim population of Azerbaijan.: ! i ! The Russian leader, Mikhail i I Gorbachev, promised last month to consider demands for the enclave’s incorporation into Armenia, but the Communist Party newspaper “Pravda,” hinted strongly!on Monday that there would be no redrawing of borders set in 1923. j ! :