YEREVAN-BASED 'NOVOYE VREMYA' NEWSPAPER COULD NOT ACCOMPLISH A TASK: AZERBAIJANI MP
Today.Az
http://www.today.az/news/politics/554 09.html
sept 8 2009
Azerbaijan
"Discussions and statements by public members in Azerbaijani press
would not go unheeded by the Armenian side," member of Azerbaijan's
Milli Majlis (parliament) Aydin Mirzazade said.
"Soccer match between Turkey and Armenia to take place on Oct. 14 is
of interest not only in these countries, but also in Azerbaijan, which
supports football team of Turkey and wishes it success. There are a
lot of football fans in Azerbaijan and we are happy that brotherly
country has one of the strongest football teams in the world. Last
year, the national soccer team of Turkey won hosts in Yerevan. We
expect the same result this year, too," Mirzazade said.
"A year ago, the Turkish side reacted to it as a purely sporting
event. Even President of Turkey Abdullah Gul, without preconditions,
visited Yerevan to support country's national team," he added.
"But, unlike Turkey, Armenia adds a political dimension to this purely
sporting event and all the time links it at different levels with
the opening of Turkish-Armenian border and the Turkish concessions
on the issue of so-called imaginary 'Armenian genocide'," he said .
"Naturally, both Turkey and Azerbaijan give a fitting rebuff to the
biased and hysterical statements by Yerevan. We are doing this because
of strategic alliance and brotherhood with Turkey," the MP said.
"It should be noted that the discussions and statements in press by
some public members of Azerbaijan will not go without attention of
Armenia. They are closely watching our statements and comment based
on their goals and outlook," Mirzazade said.
He said the so-called 'independent' Armenian newspaper 'Novoye
Vremya' is distinguished exactly by this: "Although the newspaper
is considered to be "independent", the spirit of materials show that
it is an ideological and political voice of the current authorities
in Yerevan. Whether they like it or not, but in their materials they
are trying every way to stage propaganda."
"Question of the football match between Armenia and Turkey has
repeatedly been raised on the pages of this newspaper. On Sept. 1 this
year the newspaper gave a special response to the media statements
made by Azerbaijan public on this issue. The newspaper, commenting on
the Azerbaijani press materials, put a special emphasis on a statement
by known Azeri political expert Vafa Guluzade, Turkish Ambassador to
Azerbaijan Hulusi Kilic and my person," he said.
Mirzazade said although the paper calls its material "Football
without Borders", in its statements it puts football in specific
borders: "One feels that the newspaper in this material has a specific
assignment. The publication recognizes that Abdullah Gul in Sept. last
year went to Yerevan to watch football match, but Sargsyan said that he
would go to Turkey for the return match under certain conditions. That
is, it is clear that not only the head of the Armenian state, but the
newspaper politicize this event and wants to get political benefits
from it as much as possible."
"That is, unlike Gul, Sargsyan makes conditions for a visit to
Turkey. This is the first case in the world when a president of a
state, in order to watch match of their national soccer team, makes
unacceptable conditions for the neighboring state. Apparently this
precedent will once get into books on political science and will
be studied as one of the most illogical actions by politicians,"
Mirzazade said.
"'Novoye Vremya' newspaper is puzzled and takes a hostile reception
that the Azerbaijani press has raised this issue. However, the
Azerbaijani side wants Turkey to be committed to its obligations to
not opening the Turkish-Armenian border without resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This is natural since Turkey has undertaken
obligations as a strategic ally and a country close to Azerbaijan,"
he added.
"In numerous statements by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, Ankara has clearly expressed its position which stipulates
that reopening borders with Armenia will not take place without
achieving a progress in resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict."
"'Novoye Vremya' does not want to hear these statements and does not
inform its audience that the Armenian troops for already 18 years
have stay in the occupied lands of Azerbaijan," he noted.
"A reader without knowledge of this matter and history may ask
what is the reason for the closure of borders by Turkey and what
is the the reason for the strategic alliance between Turkey and
Azerbaijan? There is only one reason - Turkey and Azerbaijan are
one nation - two countries and a brother can not stand aside when
the other brother has troubles. In this regard, Turkey sets a good
example for other countries," Mirzazade said.
The MP said the newspaper also wondered why the Turkish ambassador to
Azerbaijan made a statement on this issue and defended the interests
of his country. "He has been appointed ambassador to defend his
country's interests abroad and to explain position of his countries'
leaders to public. In this respect, ambassador plays a big role."
"As to my statement and that of Guluzade, 'Novoye Vremya' confuses
different issues. Extracting some of our phrases out of context, the
paper does not cite our other arguments. For example, "The opening
of border is necessary for Armenia as air. Armenia also needs opening
of border with Azerbaijan."
"But the Armenian side is well aware they will not see opening
of borders with these countries until there is no progress in the
Nagorno-Karabakh resolution. Therefore, the position of the Armenian
side in this issue may be repeatedly changed and can be unexpected,"
he added.
"However, the paper acknowledges that namely Armenian leadership
initiated football diplomacy and there are no tangible results from
that diplomacy and they are not foreseen," Mirzazade said.
He said the question immediately arises as to who is to be blamed for
the absence of results? It is high for Armenia to have a look at its
actions and have a little more critical consideration to its policy,
isn't it?
"Maybe there are no results for the simple reason that the Armenian
leadership can not lead a normal standard policies with neighbors and
observe simple principles of diplomacy. That is, to respect territorial
integrity of neighboring states, have no claim to other countries,
to entrust question of history to historians, but not to behave as a
scientific board in this or that issue and not to make politics out of
sport, in this case from soccer. The fact that the current Armenian
leadership has made no progress either in domestic or foreign policy
is a fault of neither Turkish nor Azerbaijani side," the MP said.
"Unfortunately, the materials of the newspaper under name of 'Novoye
Vremya' does not correspond to its name. Maybe it's from the fact
that people who have given such a good name to the newspaper have old
ideas about politics and good neighborliness and by doing so they do
not want to change and be the bearers of the new trend of time. But
this, as they say, it not our problem," the MP said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Today.Az
http://www.today.az/news/politics/554 09.html
sept 8 2009
Azerbaijan
"Discussions and statements by public members in Azerbaijani press
would not go unheeded by the Armenian side," member of Azerbaijan's
Milli Majlis (parliament) Aydin Mirzazade said.
"Soccer match between Turkey and Armenia to take place on Oct. 14 is
of interest not only in these countries, but also in Azerbaijan, which
supports football team of Turkey and wishes it success. There are a
lot of football fans in Azerbaijan and we are happy that brotherly
country has one of the strongest football teams in the world. Last
year, the national soccer team of Turkey won hosts in Yerevan. We
expect the same result this year, too," Mirzazade said.
"A year ago, the Turkish side reacted to it as a purely sporting
event. Even President of Turkey Abdullah Gul, without preconditions,
visited Yerevan to support country's national team," he added.
"But, unlike Turkey, Armenia adds a political dimension to this purely
sporting event and all the time links it at different levels with
the opening of Turkish-Armenian border and the Turkish concessions
on the issue of so-called imaginary 'Armenian genocide'," he said .
"Naturally, both Turkey and Azerbaijan give a fitting rebuff to the
biased and hysterical statements by Yerevan. We are doing this because
of strategic alliance and brotherhood with Turkey," the MP said.
"It should be noted that the discussions and statements in press by
some public members of Azerbaijan will not go without attention of
Armenia. They are closely watching our statements and comment based
on their goals and outlook," Mirzazade said.
He said the so-called 'independent' Armenian newspaper 'Novoye
Vremya' is distinguished exactly by this: "Although the newspaper
is considered to be "independent", the spirit of materials show that
it is an ideological and political voice of the current authorities
in Yerevan. Whether they like it or not, but in their materials they
are trying every way to stage propaganda."
"Question of the football match between Armenia and Turkey has
repeatedly been raised on the pages of this newspaper. On Sept. 1 this
year the newspaper gave a special response to the media statements
made by Azerbaijan public on this issue. The newspaper, commenting on
the Azerbaijani press materials, put a special emphasis on a statement
by known Azeri political expert Vafa Guluzade, Turkish Ambassador to
Azerbaijan Hulusi Kilic and my person," he said.
Mirzazade said although the paper calls its material "Football
without Borders", in its statements it puts football in specific
borders: "One feels that the newspaper in this material has a specific
assignment. The publication recognizes that Abdullah Gul in Sept. last
year went to Yerevan to watch football match, but Sargsyan said that he
would go to Turkey for the return match under certain conditions. That
is, it is clear that not only the head of the Armenian state, but the
newspaper politicize this event and wants to get political benefits
from it as much as possible."
"That is, unlike Gul, Sargsyan makes conditions for a visit to
Turkey. This is the first case in the world when a president of a
state, in order to watch match of their national soccer team, makes
unacceptable conditions for the neighboring state. Apparently this
precedent will once get into books on political science and will
be studied as one of the most illogical actions by politicians,"
Mirzazade said.
"'Novoye Vremya' newspaper is puzzled and takes a hostile reception
that the Azerbaijani press has raised this issue. However, the
Azerbaijani side wants Turkey to be committed to its obligations to
not opening the Turkish-Armenian border without resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This is natural since Turkey has undertaken
obligations as a strategic ally and a country close to Azerbaijan,"
he added.
"In numerous statements by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, Ankara has clearly expressed its position which stipulates
that reopening borders with Armenia will not take place without
achieving a progress in resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict."
"'Novoye Vremya' does not want to hear these statements and does not
inform its audience that the Armenian troops for already 18 years
have stay in the occupied lands of Azerbaijan," he noted.
"A reader without knowledge of this matter and history may ask
what is the reason for the closure of borders by Turkey and what
is the the reason for the strategic alliance between Turkey and
Azerbaijan? There is only one reason - Turkey and Azerbaijan are
one nation - two countries and a brother can not stand aside when
the other brother has troubles. In this regard, Turkey sets a good
example for other countries," Mirzazade said.
The MP said the newspaper also wondered why the Turkish ambassador to
Azerbaijan made a statement on this issue and defended the interests
of his country. "He has been appointed ambassador to defend his
country's interests abroad and to explain position of his countries'
leaders to public. In this respect, ambassador plays a big role."
"As to my statement and that of Guluzade, 'Novoye Vremya' confuses
different issues. Extracting some of our phrases out of context, the
paper does not cite our other arguments. For example, "The opening
of border is necessary for Armenia as air. Armenia also needs opening
of border with Azerbaijan."
"But the Armenian side is well aware they will not see opening
of borders with these countries until there is no progress in the
Nagorno-Karabakh resolution. Therefore, the position of the Armenian
side in this issue may be repeatedly changed and can be unexpected,"
he added.
"However, the paper acknowledges that namely Armenian leadership
initiated football diplomacy and there are no tangible results from
that diplomacy and they are not foreseen," Mirzazade said.
He said the question immediately arises as to who is to be blamed for
the absence of results? It is high for Armenia to have a look at its
actions and have a little more critical consideration to its policy,
isn't it?
"Maybe there are no results for the simple reason that the Armenian
leadership can not lead a normal standard policies with neighbors and
observe simple principles of diplomacy. That is, to respect territorial
integrity of neighboring states, have no claim to other countries,
to entrust question of history to historians, but not to behave as a
scientific board in this or that issue and not to make politics out of
sport, in this case from soccer. The fact that the current Armenian
leadership has made no progress either in domestic or foreign policy
is a fault of neither Turkish nor Azerbaijani side," the MP said.
"Unfortunately, the materials of the newspaper under name of 'Novoye
Vremya' does not correspond to its name. Maybe it's from the fact
that people who have given such a good name to the newspaper have old
ideas about politics and good neighborliness and by doing so they do
not want to change and be the bearers of the new trend of time. But
this, as they say, it not our problem," the MP said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress