Domestic

Baku. Parvin Abbasov – APA. APA’s interview with Ali Hasanov, chief of public policy department of Azerbaijan’s Presidential Administration

-We would like you to comment on the article published in the Foreign Policy magazine, which claims that Azerbaijan has allowed Israel to use its airfields. The Foreign Policy also claims that even if Azerbaijan does not allow Israel to use its airfields, it will do it in case the war starts with Iran. How grounded are these claims?

- These claims are groundless. These are reports fabricated by certain forces with the view of causing confrontation between Azerbaijan and Iran. Azerbaijan is pursuing fully independent military and security policy. Since 1993, Azerbaijan has been pursuing a neutral policy determined by the national leader Heydar Aliyev in accordance with the military geopolitical, geo-strategic balance in the region. Azerbaijan does not support the policy of NATO, Collective Security Treaty Organization founded by Russia, or other states of the region regarding deployment of military bases, military units in Azerbaijan, South Caucasus. Azerbaijan considers that the countries of the South Caucasus must not be involved in any military bloc, must not be the ground of confrontation of the military blocs in the South Caucasus. There must be the atmosphere of partnership, cooperation in the South Caucasus. South Caucasus, including Azerbaijan must be the ground of partnership, cooperation of the foreign countries only in terms of economy.

- Amnesty International has launched a new campaign on Twitter regarding Eurovision Song Contest in Azerbaijan. What can you say about it?

- Sure, we regret for that. Generally, politicizing the Eurovision Song Contest, the European prestigious cultural action, some international organizations, including Amnesty International, as well as anti-Azerbaijan forces in some countries try to put pressure upon Azerbaijan, to achieve their goals against Azerbaijan, which they couldn’t realize so far. At first, politicizing the Eurovision contest, they show disrespect to European Broadcasting Union and attempt to overshadow this influential European action. On the other hand, of course, this is disrespect to the singers, who will join the contest. The singers are unaware of the political processes and this issue doesn’t concern them. Those forces intend to use them for the realization of own political and pressure mechanisms. Such actions don’t reflect credit to those organizations, including to Amnesty International, on the contrary, it politicizes them making them to pursue purposeful subjective policy.

- What is your opinion about the participation of the Armenian parliamentarians in the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly’s 2nd session in Baku?

- Azerbaijan is a member of the international community, OSCE, the Council of Europe, UN, Organization of the Islamic Cooperation. It also works together with other international organizations and institutions. For example, within the framework of the NATO cooperation, Azerbaijan was sometimes forced to meet Armenia in some events. We don’t avoid it, because we think that not depending on its venue, security and free move of the participants of events must be ensured. Azerbaijan fulfills its commitment and ensures security of everyone. The security of Armenian parliamentarians was ensured both during their recent and previous visits. But unfortunately, Armenian delegation shows non-constructiveness in their speeches. The Armenian parliamentarian’s speech, his thoughts about the occupation of the Azerbaijani territories showed that Armenia still rejects the norms of international law and UN resolutions.

- You expressed some thoughts about the government-opposition dialogue in your statement for the press. Recently Igbal Aghazade said that he was waiting for welcoming Ali Hasanov in his headquarters at 12.00 on April 5. What is your opinion about this call?

- I have neither time nor wish to go to anyone’s headquarters. Why should I go there? My call doesn’t mean that anyone should go to other’s headquarters and meet with anyone. My statement means that the government of Azerbaijan is ready to listening desires and proposals of Azerbaijani citizens, the organizations, political parties, which are represented by them, hold constructive discussions, accept and realize their rational ideas, assure them that it is impossible to use the irrational ideas. I express the will of the state, the will of the President Ilham Aliyev’s team. It doesn’t mean that anyone should go anywhere to meet anyone, I am a government official, my duty is to establish relations between the socio- political circles and the president of Azerbaijan and to inform the President about their wishes and desires, as well as to inform them about the President’s policy.

- APFP Chairman Ali Karimli considers the arrest of his brother-in-law, who is an employee of “Texnikabank”, as a pressure against himself. How do you assess it?

- The process is continuing on this issue. As the activity of the law-enforcement bodies, court’s decision, arrest issue, the subsequent trials haven’t finished, my comment can be assessed as an effect on the process. I can say only that hundreds of such types of incidents occur in Azerbaijan, there are tens, hundreds of detainees. Each of them must be assessed individually. Politicizing these issues and linking them to the political process don’t reflect credit to them”.

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