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AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTER DEDICATES ARTICLE TO EUROVISION
ARMINFO
Wednesday, May 23, 15:51
Azerbaijan's pride in hosting the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest,
which has the largest television audience of any non-sporting event
in the world, reflects far more than a love of music. It signals my
country's re-emergence into the international community and enables
us to showcase our achievements since independence, writes Elmar
Mammadyarov, Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, in his article on The
WSJ Europe.
"Azerbaijan stands at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, but contact
with non-Soviet Europe was almost impossible during the Soviet era.
Few in the West were even aware of Azerbaijanis' dreams of national
Independence. When the Soviet Union collapsed, Azerbaijan was plunged
into a war with Armenia, which lasted six years and claimed 30,000
lives. These years were accompanied by hyperinflation, near-economic
collapse and fierce political infighting. As Azerbaijan tottered on
the brink of disintegration, few external observers believed that
it could survive as a fully independent state. Today, after 20 years
of independence, Azerbaijan has one of the fastest growing economies
in the world, with average annual GDP growth of 20% between 2003 and
2008," Mammadyarov writes.
The minister believes that Azerbaijan has its problems, not least
ongoing corruption. "But this is also a global phenomenon, and it is
disappointing that Azerbaijan's important breakthroughs in the fight
against corruption have gone unreported."
"Azerbaijan has also come under fire from some Western NGOs for its
human-rights record and for the pace of democratic change. Strangely,
the critics have ignored what undoubtedly constitutes one of the
greatest violations of human rights in modern times: the violent
displacement of the Azerbaijani population from Nagorno-Karabakh and
surrounding districts in the war with Armenia."
"Azerbaijan's democracy remains a work in progress, to be carried on
by future generations. Each parliamentary and presidential election
has been an improvement over its predecessor. Opposition newspapers
can and do now criticize the government on a daily basis. Azerbaijanis
take part in lively political discussion on social media. The right of
assembly is guaranteed, and in common with a number of other states,
including European countries, we require that political demonstrations
take place in authorized areas. We continue to believe that the best
cradle for democracy is a stable, functioning state," Mammadyarov
writes.
ARMINFO
Wednesday, May 23, 15:51
Azerbaijan's pride in hosting the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest,
which has the largest television audience of any non-sporting event
in the world, reflects far more than a love of music. It signals my
country's re-emergence into the international community and enables
us to showcase our achievements since independence, writes Elmar
Mammadyarov, Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, in his article on The
WSJ Europe.
"Azerbaijan stands at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, but contact
with non-Soviet Europe was almost impossible during the Soviet era.
Few in the West were even aware of Azerbaijanis' dreams of national
Independence. When the Soviet Union collapsed, Azerbaijan was plunged
into a war with Armenia, which lasted six years and claimed 30,000
lives. These years were accompanied by hyperinflation, near-economic
collapse and fierce political infighting. As Azerbaijan tottered on
the brink of disintegration, few external observers believed that
it could survive as a fully independent state. Today, after 20 years
of independence, Azerbaijan has one of the fastest growing economies
in the world, with average annual GDP growth of 20% between 2003 and
2008," Mammadyarov writes.
The minister believes that Azerbaijan has its problems, not least
ongoing corruption. "But this is also a global phenomenon, and it is
disappointing that Azerbaijan's important breakthroughs in the fight
against corruption have gone unreported."
"Azerbaijan has also come under fire from some Western NGOs for its
human-rights record and for the pace of democratic change. Strangely,
the critics have ignored what undoubtedly constitutes one of the
greatest violations of human rights in modern times: the violent
displacement of the Azerbaijani population from Nagorno-Karabakh and
surrounding districts in the war with Armenia."
"Azerbaijan's democracy remains a work in progress, to be carried on
by future generations. Each parliamentary and presidential election
has been an improvement over its predecessor. Opposition newspapers
can and do now criticize the government on a daily basis. Azerbaijanis
take part in lively political discussion on social media. The right of
assembly is guaranteed, and in common with a number of other states,
including European countries, we require that political demonstrations
take place in authorized areas. We continue to believe that the best
cradle for democracy is a stable, functioning state," Mammadyarov
writes.