ALIEV RULES OUT DEAL WITH RUSSIA, HOLDS OUT LENIENCY FOR COUP PLOTTERS.

Azerbaijani president Heydar Aliyyev yesterday dismissed as "primitive insinuations" the speculation that the arrest and extradition of opposition leaders by the Russian authorities would be rewarded with Azerbaijani concessions. Aliev and the General Prosecutor’s office suggested that punishment of extradited opposition leaders sentenced or indicted for rebellion and treason would be softened if they show regret for their actions. Aliev has consistently commuted death sentences to imprisonment, at least for the past year. Just last week he commuted five death sentences, including one on a Russian captured while serving as a mercenary with Armenian forces.

Azerbaijan’s General Prosecutor Eldar Hassanov is currently in Moscow negotiating with Russian authorities concerning the extradition of Azerbaijan’s former Communist party leader, Ayaz Mutalibov, and probably also that of former prime minister Suret Husseinov. (Interfax, April 22; NTV, April 21) Mutalibov is in the protective custody of the Russian authorities, while Husseinov, sheltered in Moscow since his failed 1993 coup against Aliyev, has apparently been given time to abscond. Russia and Azerbaijan have an agreement on mutual legal assistance which requires Russia to extradite criminals wanted in Azerbaijan.

Major Uzbek Plant Goes into Full Foreign Ownership.