In cooperation with the BBC World Service the IISH has started to record the oral history of the Caucasus in the period 1988-1991. The project plans to explore the last days of Gorbachev and the beginning of independence. The first interviews were held with political leaders of the independence movement in Azerbaijan. In addition to the interviews, newspapers, periodicals, and archival material from this period have been collected. The IISH now holds a unique and complete collection covering the transition to independence in Azerbaijan. Copies of the interviews go to the BBC World Service.
The names of the persons interviewed are:
- Ramiz AHMADOV
Deputy editor of the newspaper 'Communist', head of the Azerbaijan Communist Party (present). - Zardusht ALIZADE
One of the founders of the Azerbaijan Popular Front (1988-1990), head of Azerbaijan Social Democrat Party (present). - ANAR
Head of the Azerbaijan Writers Associations, Azerbaijan Parliament deputy (present). - Rasim AQAYEV
Functionary of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan (1988-1992), local director of the Turan News Agency (present). - Efrand DASHDEMIROV
Head of the Department of the Ideology of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan (1988-1991) - Hikmet HACIZADE
One of the founders of the Azerbaijan Popular Front (1988-1991), member of the Azerbaijan Musavat Party’s executive committee. - Fetullah HUSEYNOV
Head of the Baku Police Office (1988-1992) - Penah HUSEYNOV
One of the founders of the Azerbaijan Popular Front (1988-1991), Azerbaijan prime Minster (1992), head of the Azerbaijan People’s Party (present). - Serdar CELALOGLU
Head of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Nakhijivan (1989-1991), secretary of Azerbaijan Democrat Party (present). - Ali KERIMOV
Secretary of the State (1992-1993), head of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (present). - Etibar MEMMEDOV
One of the founders of the Azerbaijan Popular Front (1988-1991), head of the Azerbaijan Independent Party (present) - Ne'mat PANAHOV
One of the founders of the Azerbaijan Popular Front (1988-1991), head of the Azerbaijan Freedom Party (present). - Isa QENBAR
One of the founders of the Azerbaijan Popular Front (1988-1991), Azerbaijan Parliament speaker (1992-1993), head of the Azerbaijan Musavat Party (present). - Tamerlan QARAYEV
Secretary of the Azerbaijan Popular Front (1988-1991), deputy of the head of the Azerbaijan Parliament (1991-1993), deputy of the Karabakh Liberation Assembly (present). - Rasul QULIYEV
Deputy Prime Minister, Azerbaijan, Parliament speaker, head of the Azerbaijan Democrat Party, living in exile in New York (present) - Sabir RUSTEMXANLI
Editor of newspaper 'Azerbaijan' (1992), head of the Azerbaijan Citizen Cooperation Party, Azerbaijan Parliament deputy (present). - Lale SHOVKET
Secretary of the State (1993-1995), head of Azerbaijan Liberal Party (present). - Leyla YUNUSOVA
One of the founders of the Azerbaijan Popular Front (1988-1991), head of the Institute for Peace and Democracy (present).