Appeal of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR, and the Council of Ministers of Azerbaijan
Original Source: Bakinskii rabochii, 18 May 1988.
Dear comrades! Existing conditions make it necessary once more to appeal to you. As is known, the Appeal of the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU, M. S. Gorbachev, to the workers and peoples of Azerbaijan and Armenia was received with the necessary understanding in both republics. The passions and emotions which boiled up in connection with events in Nagorno Karabakh and around it had begun gradually to yield to a sober and reasoned approach to the solution of problems which have arisen. However, in recent days the situation has once again begun to grow tenser, rumors have become more frequent, as have various inventions, which has given rise to unhealthy attitudes and acted negatively on the process of further normalization in the republic.
On May 16 in Baku there was meeting of youth, students, members of the intelligentsia, who were attentively listened to by members of the Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan. We understand and feel closely the natural alarm of people, their desire to know more about the situation as it is in Nagorno Karabakh, in our republic and in the Armenian SSR, and to get answers to the questions which disturb them. However this does not have to proceed in an atmosphere of nerves and excitement, in “meeting democracy,” which are, as we are all convinced, pregnant with unforeseeable consequences. The questions posed by the participants of the meeting were examined attentively. Certain of them will be used taking immediate measures.
It must be noted though that other questions were also posed, the resolution of which will require deep study and a certain amount of time. The present alarm of a certain part of the population is caused, in part, by the events which took place in certain settlements of the Arat region of the Armenian SSR on 11 May of this year, when incidents occurred among the local residents. There were wounds, but no dead.
Measures are being taken by Party and government organs to normalize the situation. The Procurator of the USSR is investigating all incidents. There may be no doubt that the guilty will be exposed and brought to responsibility, according to the full strictness of the law. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, and the government of the republic will take all necessary measures to heal the situation, to return life to its normal rhythm.
In this disturbed atmosphere each of us must have patience and extreme self-possession, qualities innate in the best representatives of our people. In no instance should we give opportunity for someone, through unthinking conversations or ill-considered acts, to drive a wedge into the decades-long traditions of friendship between peoples, or discredit restructuring in the country, or the first steps of democratization.
The Central Committee of the CPSU today sees the development of inter-nationality relations as of utmost importance. There will be a special Plenum of the Central Committee of the CPSU on this topic. The Party says firmly that all problems of national relations can be resolved only within the framework of legality and the democratic process, without the slightest loss of internationalist solidarity of our peoples. The Azerbaijani people have always shown themselves to be an example of socialist internationalism. We are rightly proud of these traditions, and it is the duty of all of us to keep them holy and increase them. In appealing to the multinational population of Azerbaijan we are asking for the wisdom of aksakals and of our mothers, and the reason of our youth. Only restraint and self-respect, a sense of profound responsibility for the fate of one’s own people can bear witness to its freedom and power of soul.
We appeal to all our fellow citizens and citizens of the republic, to Azerbaijanis and Armenians, to Russians and people of all nationalities living in Azerbaijan: do not submit to emotions and rumors, give decisive rebuffs to inciters and provocateurs who are sowing international discord, exhibit calm and restraint. Remember, all of us must answer for the honor of our republic, for the honor of the Azerbaijani people.
Source: Soviet Multinational State: readings and documents, ed. Martha B. Olcott with Lubomyr Hajda and Anthony Olcott. Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe, 1990.