Armenia takes Azeri territory

ISTANBUL - Azerbaijan admitted yesterday that Armenian forces had seized not only the key border town of Kelbadzhar in the west of the republic but also a broad swathe of surrounding territory, write Hugh Pope and agencies. The Azeri Defence Ministry said that nearly one-tenth of Azerbaijan was now in enemy hands. The Armenian advance has united the disputed territory of Nagorny Karabakh, which is inside Azerbaijan but mostly populated by Armenians, with Armenia proper.

Turkey imposed an embargo on foreign aid to Armenia yesterday in response to the Armenian offensive. 'Nobody should expect Turkey to allow the passage of aid to a country that says it is starving and poor, yet has the military power to burn and wreck cities,' said Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister, Erdal Inonu.

Under pressure from the United States and France, Turkey had reluctantly been allowing up to 1,000 tons of grain a day to pass by rail or road into Armenia.