AZERI OPPOSITION LEADERS, RULING PARTY REP SLAM IRAN OVER PERES VISIT COMMENTS
Turan News Agency
June 3 2009
Azerbaijan
Baku, 3 June: Official Tehran has expressed dissatisfaction to
Azerbaijan over the forthcoming visit by Israeli President Shimon
Peres to Baku at the end of June and demanded shutting down the
Israeli embassy.
Turan news agency has surveyed Azerbaijani political figures on
the issue.
Leader of the [opposition] Musavat party Isa Qambar believes such
behaviour by Iran is "unacceptable". Iran has warm relations with
Armenia and implements joint projects with it, while this country
[Armenia] has occupied Azerbaijani lands. "Azerbaijan should pursue
its own foreign policy and should not react to external pressure,"
Qambar said.
Chairman of the [opposition] People's Front of Azerbaijan Party,
Ali Karimli, described Tehran's policy to pressure Azerbaijan as
"inappropriate". Tehran has no moral right to demand that Baku cut ties
with Israel while Iran develops ties with Armenia in every possible
way. "Who comes [to Azerbaijan] and who leaves Azerbaijan is none of
Tehran's business," Karimli said.
Leader of the [opposition] Democratic Party of Azerbaijan, Sardar
Calaloglu, said Iran's pressure on Azerbaijan is "unethical". He also
said that Israel is in conflict with the entire Islamic world and
this cannot be ignored. Azerbaijan could be a mediator in bringing
Israel and the Islamic world together. "If the visit takes place with
this goal, then it can be welcomed, but if [the visit take place]
with the goal of forming a block against other countries, this is
unacceptable," he said.
Deputy Executive Secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party Mubariz
Qurbanli described threats by Iran as "unacceptable".
"When Azerbaijan pointed to Tehran about unacceptability of warm
relations with Yerevan, we were told that this was a manifestation
of the policy of a sovereign state. Now we are demonstrating
our sovereignty and building relations with whoever we want to,"
Qurbanli said.
Turan News Agency
June 3 2009
Azerbaijan
Baku, 3 June: Official Tehran has expressed dissatisfaction to
Azerbaijan over the forthcoming visit by Israeli President Shimon
Peres to Baku at the end of June and demanded shutting down the
Israeli embassy.
Turan news agency has surveyed Azerbaijani political figures on
the issue.
Leader of the [opposition] Musavat party Isa Qambar believes such
behaviour by Iran is "unacceptable". Iran has warm relations with
Armenia and implements joint projects with it, while this country
[Armenia] has occupied Azerbaijani lands. "Azerbaijan should pursue
its own foreign policy and should not react to external pressure,"
Qambar said.
Chairman of the [opposition] People's Front of Azerbaijan Party,
Ali Karimli, described Tehran's policy to pressure Azerbaijan as
"inappropriate". Tehran has no moral right to demand that Baku cut ties
with Israel while Iran develops ties with Armenia in every possible
way. "Who comes [to Azerbaijan] and who leaves Azerbaijan is none of
Tehran's business," Karimli said.
Leader of the [opposition] Democratic Party of Azerbaijan, Sardar
Calaloglu, said Iran's pressure on Azerbaijan is "unethical". He also
said that Israel is in conflict with the entire Islamic world and
this cannot be ignored. Azerbaijan could be a mediator in bringing
Israel and the Islamic world together. "If the visit takes place with
this goal, then it can be welcomed, but if [the visit take place]
with the goal of forming a block against other countries, this is
unacceptable," he said.
Deputy Executive Secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party Mubariz
Qurbanli described threats by Iran as "unacceptable".
"When Azerbaijan pointed to Tehran about unacceptability of warm
relations with Yerevan, we were told that this was a manifestation
of the policy of a sovereign state. Now we are demonstrating
our sovereignty and building relations with whoever we want to,"
Qurbanli said.