December 19, 2002 - 19:09 AMT
KARABAKH JOURNALISTS ADDRESSED PUTIN VIA "HOT LINE" ON DISCONNECTION OF TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN RUSSIA AND NAGORNO KARABAKH
A group of journalists of Nagorno Karabakh has addressed the telephone center in Moscow, where questions are being received via "the hot line" to be answered today by Russian president Vladimir Putin on the air. The question concerns disconnection of the automatic telephone communication of Russia with Nagorno Karabakh via the lines of the Moscow long-distance telephone. The message notes that as a result of the measure some 400 thousand Russian citizens having ethnic roots in Nagorno Karabakh are deprived of the opportunity to get in touch with their relatives and folks. The Karabakh journalists have asked Vladimir Putin the question whether he does not consider that the blocking of telephone communication with Nagorno Karabakh as violation of human rights, first of all those of the Russian citizens. Whether it is fair to isolate Nagorno Karabakh from Russia even if its legal and international status is not determined yet. Whether he does not see the danger that such an unfriendly step may cause anti-Russian sentiments of the Armenian people, who has traditionally have friendly attitudes towards Russia. The message expresses hope for the Russian president to help to correct the present situation.