Diaspora

Q: The 6th Global Baku Forum with the participation of presidents of several countries and well-known politicians was an important event. The forum was expected to play a significant role in delivering Azerbaijan’s realities to the world community and to give a worthy response to the propaganda of anti-Azerbaijani circles. To what extent did these expectations succeed?

A: In general, holding this forum in Baku for the sixth time and in a more expanded format showed that Azerbaijan’s reputation has grown and the country has become a center for discussion of global political issues. Global issues, including issues of tolerance, religious and national tolerance, as well as humanitarian problems are already discussed in Baku. During the discussions at the forum, the position of Azerbaijan and the country’s political elite, and its views on all international issues were expressed. Numerous high-ranking guests left Baku after learning Azerbaijan’s realities. The forum is a new platform for preventing the anti-Azerbaijani propaganda of our enemies. The influential politicians, former and currents heads of state and government, who attended the forum, witnessed the existence of civil society, freedom of press in Azerbaijan, as well as the development of political dialogue. Such events play an important role in conveying Azerbaijan’s realities to the world community, grow Azerbaijan’s reputation, contribute to the strengthening of Azerbaijan’s position as a significant political player and provide an opportunity to disseminate objective information about our most painful problem – the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia. In this respect, holding this forum on an annual basis is of great importance for our country. All this, of course, once again demonstrates the Azerbaijani president’s successful and far-sighted policy, which serves the interests of the country’s people.

Q: Azerbaijan has long complained about the West’s double standards. Is this forum going to be helpful in eliminating these cases as well as in giving an adequate response to the campaign being carried out by some circles?

A: We have to take a pragmatic approach to these issues. As long as Azerbaijan takes consistent steps to protect its independence, as long as the head of state, Mr. President Ilham Aliyev, makes strong statements in the world arena, our country will continue to have a strong position among world nations. Of course, there will be double standards against us. There will be some forces in the world that will have interests coinciding with those of our evil enemy, Armenia and its lobby. While we see double standards and demand justice, these forces will continue such an attitude under the influence of the Armenian lobby. In other words, the stronger we become, the more provocations are we likely to face. Furthermore, numerous high-ranking guests to our country will express what they have witnessed here rather than what others say about us, which will not let the anti-Azerbaijan campaign to succeed. What’s important is that they saw how the people believe and trust the Azerbaijani president and support his ideas. What the high-ranking guests, who attended this forum, will say about what they saw here will have a strong influence on the public opinion about Azerbaijan because they are experienced politicians trusted by the general public. Because these people are experienced their countries.

Q: How much share will Azerbaijan have in Europe’s campaign-information channels so that the campaign of some individuals who even resorts to cursing in their political strife?

A: You touched on an interesting point. Of course, social media recently began to greatly affect people's lives. Those few media heroes have emerged, who have no sense of patriotism and work against their own countries in return for a few pennies. Primarily they are carrying out an ugly campaign against Azerbaijan, the head of state and his family, the country’s political elite, and the entire state on the whole. This campaign is actually aimed at causing confusion among people. This is one of the methods they use as our country is developing. The aim is to shake Azerbaijan from within and cause a chaos, to create the same situation in Azerbaijan as in Syria and Libya. So those immoral ones from this country who have settled abroad need to understand that their campaign is likely to bring a catastrophe on this country, where their own relatives also live, because if they succeed in creating a chaos here, all citizens will be effected by it. There are precedents to this. Our head of state is very humane. This is why the state of Azerbaijan does not intervene despite all their incivility. But unfortunately, those individuals violate the laws of the countries they reside in, posting pictures and insulting the head of state on social networks. They could be arrested in the countries where they live. But it seems that this provocative group making use of such an ugly campaign is in the interests of some circles. All they seek to force the Azerbaijani state to take some drastic measures so that they can abuse the fact against our state. As I mentioned, some are not happy with our successful state policy, so they try every possible way to halt this. But they are bound to fail because our state is more powerful than they could imagine because the people of Azerbaijan unanimously support the head of state.

Q: What is the attitude of Azerbaijani diaspora organizations towards what is happening?

A: As you know, hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis live in Europe today, and most of them strongly support the Azerbaijani state and president, and ill-bred persons who use obscene langue in their speeches can be counted on the fingers of one hand. That is, the number of those who allegedly conduct political struggle by the method of abuse and insults is 4-5 people, and the number of people supporting them in Europe can not be more than 30-40 people. They are the same people everywhere. We managed to find out that most of them are unemployed, and it means that they are financed by some people. Of course, they have supporters, specific groups that finance them, that is, they are financed by anti-Azerbaijani circles. At the same time, there are people who have been deceived. For example, yesterday I watched a video showing a 10-year-old child in Sweden gluing a portrait, not knowing why he is doing it. It's very disgusting. These people are afraid of doing this themselves, therefore, they involved a 10-year child in this campaign by deception. This reflects the true essence of these people. All these people are social media “heroes”. If you pay attention to the event held by MP Adil Aliyev in Cologne on March 31, you will see that these people can only imagine themselves as “heroes” through social media. That is, they did not even have enough courage to enter the hall in which the event was held. They stood aside, and when the police arrived they made a noise. All this shows that they are really cowards. I believe that all Azerbaijani people, including Azerbaijanis living in Europe already understand that who these people are and what is happening. Everyone understands very clearly that mercenaries hired by someone. What’s the worst is that foreign trips of the head of the separatist regime created in the Armenian-occupied Azerbaijani territories and events they hold coincide with the actions of these worthless persons. These people immediately hold a protest outside Azerbaijani embassies whenever Armenians organize an event in connection with the separatist regime. Insidious forces that control these people aim to distract the Azerbaijani embassies’ focus. All issues are currently being investigated, and I’m convinced that the time will come when the financial sources of these criminals are revealed to be the Armenian lobby in those countries.

Q: Can Azerbaijan file a lawsuit in respect of these people?

A: The activities being carried out by these people are a gross violation of the laws of the countries they are working and residing in. For example, one of these people was recently fined 350 euros by a Dutch court for the violation of advertising laws. Many discussions were held regarding legal claims. Experts who know the legal system of European countries also note that the judicial system in these countries sometimes becomes a hostage to double standards. The forces that finance them can also influence courts. Their goal is to turn Azerbaijan into present-day Syria. But what will they achieve if Azerbaijan turns into Syria? Their families, closed ones are also representatives of the Azerbaijani people, they live in this country. Therefore, the public, including their relatives should see their true face. It is already clear that the public does not believe them. These people have betrayed our national traditions and moral values ​​with their obscene language and immoral steps. In general, obscene language begins when arguments are over. These are a few people and they will remain alone until the end. They have lost a sense of honor and dignity. All the Azerbaijanis have already lost their patience and have fed up with them, because they offend the honor of all of them by insulting the Azerbaijani state.

Q: Who, in your opinion, are those backers that are able to control them so easily?

A: First of all, it seems like we have a mistake in this issue as well, because perhaps we could not correctly convey the essence of the current processes in Arab countries to the public. We have not been able to explain the processes before and after the "Arab Spring". All this should be made clear to the public of Azerbaijan so that they can see who had started the events in these countries, what happened and what is happening now. I will not name them now, but I’m going to convey message to them. Let those who back them inside and outside Azerbaijan look at Syria and Libya and perceive their responsibility before the people. If the processes in these countries take place in Azerbaijan tomorrow, it will affect everyone. There is such a saying that revolutions first devour their own children. If chaos arises in Azerbaijan, the first blow will be received by their supporters. I do not now name the backers of this group, but let them know that we are aware of who they are. The contours are gradually emerging. Let them hear that the president of Azerbaijan is powerful, has a strong team. Mr. President pursues a policy that meets the interests of the Azerbaijani state and people. There have been many games of different circles so far, and they failed to succeed. Our diaspora organizations in Europe will organize different events in April. If they have enough courage, let them come. And can they come? Of course not, because they are cowards, who are essentially insolent, indecisive and can do nothing else but shout and swear in front of the camera. I think they will get a desired response if they come. We are ready to demonstrate our strength within the framework of the law. True patriots, true Azerbaijanis will say their words. They will not allow a few frauds to be disrespectful to our state.

Q: There are already a few days left for the presidential election. How do Azerbaijanis living in various countries prepare for these elections?

A: The rating of the president is turned out to be more than 84 percent in the country, and this is likely to be even higher among the Azerbaijanis living abroad. This is a real fact, because the way through which Azerbaijan has passed seems and feels more evidently from outside. Therefore, Azerbaijanis living abroad highly appreciate the president's activities and are preparing for the forthcoming election with great enthusiasm. During these years, Azerbaijan, which is located in a very complicated geopolitical place, has evolved into a mighty state. Our compatriots living abroad see this and are proud of their historical homeland.