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BAKU COUNTING ON AZERBAIJANIS ABROAD TO 'NEUTRALIZE' ARMENIAN LOBBY
http://news.day.az/politics/329643.html
Vol. V, No. 9 (May 1, 2012)
Paul Goble
Publications Advisor
Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy
Azerbaijan, which has often felt itself on the defensive abroad
because of the activities of the Armenian diaspora, is counting on
Azerbaijani communities abroad to "neutralize the Armenian lobby,"
according to a senior advisor to President Ilham Aliyev. On the one
hand, this new reliance reflects the dramatic growth in the size and
activity of the Azerbaijani groups in Europe and the United States.
And on the other, it reflects a growing recognition in Baku that the
Armenian "lobby" is not as strong as it was and can be most effectively
countered by the Azerbaijani diaspora.
In an April 29 speech to the fourth congress of the Congress of
Azerbaijanis of Europe, a group that represents some 61 diaspora
groups on the continent and is a partner of the Azerbaijani State
Committee for Work with the Diaspora, Ali Hasanov, the head of the
social-political department of the Presidential Administration, said
that "great responsibility for neutralizing the anti-Azerbaijani
activity of enemies of the Azerbaijani state now falls on diaspora
organizations." He added that he and other senior Baku officials
"carefully follow the activity" of the Congress, especially because
the activity of the group has increased in recent months. [1]
A major reason this has happened, Hasanov continued, is that "the
growing power and international achievements of Azerbaijan have
frightened the enemies of the Azerbaijani state and led them to
increase their anti-Azerbaijani activity."
Bashar Kemur, the president of the Congress of Azerbaijanis of
Europe, echoed Hasanov's words. He noted in a speech to the group
that the group is now conducting "serious work in the neutralization
of the anti-Azerbaijani activity of the Armenian lobby and has made
significant steps toward bringing to the attention of the world
community the truth about Karabakh."
Nazim Ibrahimov, chairman of the State Committee for Work with
the Diaspora, added that the Congress of Azerbaijanis of Europe has
already achieved a great deal and that his structure is pleased to be
working closely with it. Other speakers included Parviz Shahbazov,
Azerbaijani ambassador to Berlin, Samira Pattser-Ismailova, head of
the Coordination Center of Azerbaijanis in Germany, Fazil Hasanov,
head of the Cultural Center of Azerbaijanis of Georgia, Sahil Gasymov,
president of the Congress of Azerbaijanis of the Benelux Countries,
and Bilal Dundar, president of the Federation of Turkish-Azerbaijani
Societies. This list in and of itself underscores the ways in which
the Azerbaijani communities abroad have assumed a more clearly defined
organizational role.
The Azerbaijani communities abroad vary from country to country. The
largest, of course, numbering more than 25 million, consists of the
Azerbaijani population of Iran. The next largest, number upwards of
two million are the Azerbaijanis of the Russian Federation, with more
than one million of them living in Moscow and another half million in
St. Petersburg. Elsewhere, the communities are smaller, but in many
cases, they consist of businessmen and students, with the latter group
particularly prepared to play a broader social and political role.
Until a few years ago, most Azerbaijanis assumed that the Armenian
diaspora was almost all-powerful, and even now Azerbaijanis are
inclined to ascribe to its machinations decisions by foreign
governments with which they do not agree. But Hasanov's comments
in Berlin suggest that today there is a growing awareness among
Azerbaijani leaders that the Armenian "lobby" can be countered,
and countered successfully, if Azerbaijanis living abroad become
more active.
http://news.day.az/politics/329643.html
Vol. V, No. 9 (May 1, 2012)
Paul Goble
Publications Advisor
Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy
Azerbaijan, which has often felt itself on the defensive abroad
because of the activities of the Armenian diaspora, is counting on
Azerbaijani communities abroad to "neutralize the Armenian lobby,"
according to a senior advisor to President Ilham Aliyev. On the one
hand, this new reliance reflects the dramatic growth in the size and
activity of the Azerbaijani groups in Europe and the United States.
And on the other, it reflects a growing recognition in Baku that the
Armenian "lobby" is not as strong as it was and can be most effectively
countered by the Azerbaijani diaspora.
In an April 29 speech to the fourth congress of the Congress of
Azerbaijanis of Europe, a group that represents some 61 diaspora
groups on the continent and is a partner of the Azerbaijani State
Committee for Work with the Diaspora, Ali Hasanov, the head of the
social-political department of the Presidential Administration, said
that "great responsibility for neutralizing the anti-Azerbaijani
activity of enemies of the Azerbaijani state now falls on diaspora
organizations." He added that he and other senior Baku officials
"carefully follow the activity" of the Congress, especially because
the activity of the group has increased in recent months. [1]
A major reason this has happened, Hasanov continued, is that "the
growing power and international achievements of Azerbaijan have
frightened the enemies of the Azerbaijani state and led them to
increase their anti-Azerbaijani activity."
Bashar Kemur, the president of the Congress of Azerbaijanis of
Europe, echoed Hasanov's words. He noted in a speech to the group
that the group is now conducting "serious work in the neutralization
of the anti-Azerbaijani activity of the Armenian lobby and has made
significant steps toward bringing to the attention of the world
community the truth about Karabakh."
Nazim Ibrahimov, chairman of the State Committee for Work with
the Diaspora, added that the Congress of Azerbaijanis of Europe has
already achieved a great deal and that his structure is pleased to be
working closely with it. Other speakers included Parviz Shahbazov,
Azerbaijani ambassador to Berlin, Samira Pattser-Ismailova, head of
the Coordination Center of Azerbaijanis in Germany, Fazil Hasanov,
head of the Cultural Center of Azerbaijanis of Georgia, Sahil Gasymov,
president of the Congress of Azerbaijanis of the Benelux Countries,
and Bilal Dundar, president of the Federation of Turkish-Azerbaijani
Societies. This list in and of itself underscores the ways in which
the Azerbaijani communities abroad have assumed a more clearly defined
organizational role.
The Azerbaijani communities abroad vary from country to country. The
largest, of course, numbering more than 25 million, consists of the
Azerbaijani population of Iran. The next largest, number upwards of
two million are the Azerbaijanis of the Russian Federation, with more
than one million of them living in Moscow and another half million in
St. Petersburg. Elsewhere, the communities are smaller, but in many
cases, they consist of businessmen and students, with the latter group
particularly prepared to play a broader social and political role.
Until a few years ago, most Azerbaijanis assumed that the Armenian
diaspora was almost all-powerful, and even now Azerbaijanis are
inclined to ascribe to its machinations decisions by foreign
governments with which they do not agree. But Hasanov's comments
in Berlin suggest that today there is a growing awareness among
Azerbaijani leaders that the Armenian "lobby" can be countered,
and countered successfully, if Azerbaijanis living abroad become
more active.