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Women's football, JLo and the axe-murderer - Al Jazeera
tert.am
14:32 - 23.09.12
What do women's football, JLo and an axe-murderer have in common?, Al
Jazeera asks in an article titled Azerbaijan in the spotlight.
The author of the report, Robin Forestier-Walker, says all three
lately received a welcome in Baku.
`Azerbaijan seeks the international spotlight. Jennifer Lopez this
weekend headlined at the Women's Under 17 FIFA World Cup opening
ceremony in Baku. The capital proudly hosted the kitsch European Song
Contest earlier this year - a colossal undertaking.
Yet the decision to welcome home a man who committed a calculated and
horrific murder damaged the image of an ambitious nation with a
rapidly-developing European capital,' reads the article.'
Noting that the life-sentenced Azerbaijani lieutenant, who was
convicted in Budapest for hacking an Armenian army officer to death,
was extradited in August and pardoned on arrival, the author says
further that the Azerbaijani authorities were nervous about permitting
the TV channel to report from Baku on a decision that has proved what
he calls deeply unpalatable to the international community.
`To understand this contradiction between a proud and outward-looking
Azerbaijan on the surface, and a nation smarting from international
criticism over the pardoning of a cold-blooded murderer, look for
clues on the capital's skyline.
One of the key justifications given in Azerbaijan today for absolving
Safarov of his crime is that his victim. Gurgen Margaryan, allegedly
insulted Azerbaijan's flag.
The largest example of this national symbol ripples in slow-motion
above Baku from one of the tallest flagpoles in the world. It says a
lot about the leadership's megalomanic pretensions, but many
Azerbaijanis are proud of it.
The flip-side to healthy patriotism in Azerbaijan is a nationalism
constructed in relation to injustices - perceived and real -
perpetrated against the nation by neighbouring Armenia,' he says.
Forestier-Walker then goes on to explain that the country is becoming
exceeding rich thanks to petrodollars which he says are transforming
the Baku skyline/
`But almost 20 years after losing Nagorno-Karabakh and a sizeable
proportion of Azerbaijani territory, all the JLos, Eurovisions and
sporting tournaments cannot buy the thing so many desire - the return
of Azerbaijani land and real peace - not a frozen conflict that risks
warming up,' he concludes.
tert.am
14:32 - 23.09.12
What do women's football, JLo and an axe-murderer have in common?, Al
Jazeera asks in an article titled Azerbaijan in the spotlight.
The author of the report, Robin Forestier-Walker, says all three
lately received a welcome in Baku.
`Azerbaijan seeks the international spotlight. Jennifer Lopez this
weekend headlined at the Women's Under 17 FIFA World Cup opening
ceremony in Baku. The capital proudly hosted the kitsch European Song
Contest earlier this year - a colossal undertaking.
Yet the decision to welcome home a man who committed a calculated and
horrific murder damaged the image of an ambitious nation with a
rapidly-developing European capital,' reads the article.'
Noting that the life-sentenced Azerbaijani lieutenant, who was
convicted in Budapest for hacking an Armenian army officer to death,
was extradited in August and pardoned on arrival, the author says
further that the Azerbaijani authorities were nervous about permitting
the TV channel to report from Baku on a decision that has proved what
he calls deeply unpalatable to the international community.
`To understand this contradiction between a proud and outward-looking
Azerbaijan on the surface, and a nation smarting from international
criticism over the pardoning of a cold-blooded murderer, look for
clues on the capital's skyline.
One of the key justifications given in Azerbaijan today for absolving
Safarov of his crime is that his victim. Gurgen Margaryan, allegedly
insulted Azerbaijan's flag.
The largest example of this national symbol ripples in slow-motion
above Baku from one of the tallest flagpoles in the world. It says a
lot about the leadership's megalomanic pretensions, but many
Azerbaijanis are proud of it.
The flip-side to healthy patriotism in Azerbaijan is a nationalism
constructed in relation to injustices - perceived and real -
perpetrated against the nation by neighbouring Armenia,' he says.
Forestier-Walker then goes on to explain that the country is becoming
exceeding rich thanks to petrodollars which he says are transforming
the Baku skyline/
`But almost 20 years after losing Nagorno-Karabakh and a sizeable
proportion of Azerbaijani territory, all the JLos, Eurovisions and
sporting tournaments cannot buy the thing so many desire - the return
of Azerbaijani land and real peace - not a frozen conflict that risks
warming up,' he concludes.