Doc. 9750

26 March 2003

Cartographic conquest – mass change of the toponyms with the political purposes and distortions of maps

Motion for a recommendation

presented by Mr R. Huseynov and others

      Place names are the memories of the history and each toponym is a historical document in itself. Therefore mass changing of geographical names that have been historically formed in different countries many centuries ago is not simply an event regarding maps, but is rather a case expressing more serious political purposes. This tendency, over the last two hundred years, has been observed specifically in a number of regions of Europe and unfortunately, it continues even today. Amongst the countries subjected to large scale toponymical aggression, Azerbaijan is especially visible.

      As a result of continuous mass changing of toponyms of Azerbaijani origin purposefully during the soviet times in the territories of Armenia, Georgia and Daghistan – subject of the Russian Federation and continuation of these processes in recent years during the period of independence, we see a totally different picture when comparing the maps produced 100, 70, 50, 30 years ago with those printed today.

      The political-administrative map of the Transcaucasian Federation with the scale of 1:500000 printed in 10000 copies in 1931 in Leningrad, which is considered an official state document is the main source reflecting the real situation of that time regarding toponyms of Azerbaijani origin in the territories of Armenia and Georgia. According to that map, 78,1 % of the toponyms in the territory of Armenia are Azerbaijani-Turkish origin, 3,91 % - hybrid, 1,26 % - Russian, 0,92 % - Arabic, 0,46 % - Persian and only 3,45 % - Armenian origin. In 1948-1953 after the official deportation of over 150 thousand Azerbaijanis from their historical-ethnic lands in the territory of Armenia with the efforts of the soviet government and the Armenian ultra nationalists (decisions by the Soviet of Ministers of the USSR numbered 4083 and 754 dated 1947 December 27 and 1948 March 10 respectively), place names started to be changed with special intensity, and in the last 15 years all these distortions took on total character and result today in the territory of Armenia having no single toponyms of Azerbaijani origin remaining.

      Changing of the Azerbaijani toponyms in Georgia also took place continuously during the last 100 years and, unfortunately, it has been continued intensively in the last 15 years. Borchali – the administrative region in the territory of Georgia where historically Azerbaijanis settled – the area of which was 6,9 thousand km² in 1905 which today has been reduced more than 3 times. 80 % of over 100 toponyms of Azerbaijani origin have already been changed in 10 districts of Borchali.

      The same undesirable event took place in Daghistan, in Derbend where Azerbaijani live compactly and this process still continues.

      Mass total change of toponyms with political purposes without the approval of the local parliaments in essence are against the historical truths and national rights and therefore it is definitely necessary to prevent such cases with a view to curbing further occurrence.

      Considering the existence of similar cases in other European countries, the Assembly

      - proposes to appoint a rapporteur for detailed study of the problem and discussion of the issue in appropriate committees;

      - calls on member states not to let undesirable actions take place with regard to historically formed geographical names and to prevent related cases;

      - recommends that the member states base themselves on objective scientific criteria when printing maps, especially those related with conflicting regions or other maps.

Signed ¹:

R. Huseynov, Azerbaijan, LDR

Crema, Italy, SOC

Ekes, Hungary, EPP

Etherington, United Kingdom, SOC

Grissemann, Austria, NR

Gubert, Italy, EPP

Herczog, Hungary, SOC

Ilaşcu, Romania, NR

Klympush, Ukraine, EDG

Lobkowicz, Czech Republic, EPP

Martínez Casañ, Spain, EPP

Timmermans, Belgium, SOC

Vanoost, Belgium, SOC

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group