Baku. Victoria Dementyeva, Mubariz Aslanov – APA. Audio recording of speeches regarding the change of power in Azerbaijan has been made public.
APA reports that telephone conversation among Yevgeni (his surname and workplace are unknown) who is claimed to be an employee of one of the U.S. foundations, board member of the Congress of Ukrainian Azerbaijanis Khagani Huseynov and member of the National Council, Director of Turan Information Agency Mehman Aliyev revealed that Huseynov introduced Yevgeni to Aliyev and said that he had a proposal.
The transcription of audio recording is as follows:
Yevgeni: “I have just returned from Vilnius. I met there with director of Freedom House’s office in the Central and Eastern Europe. There is a great interest and guarantee of contribution regarding the Republic of Azerbaijan. They are thinking about South Azerbaijan, there will probably be a positive result. There will be long-term contribution regarding the Republic of Azerbaijan. They intend to work by the next presidential elections, thus program is determined for 5 years. Freedom House’s leadership will hold a meeting in Vilnius on January 6. Program for a year will be discussed at the meeting. The program on Azerbaijan developed by Khagani will be approved by 90%. If so, then you will need to prepare concrete proposals and projects by the end of January. In other words, they work quickly. If they pass a decision on January 6, they want to adopt a budget of the program on January 30. They want to implement some projects on avoiding arrests under the guise of education programs. We plan to organize various trainings, seminars and courses in Ukraine. It is due to visa-free travel. These visits will be organized under the pretext of visiting the country for work, recreation and other purposes. We will gather at school and organize seminars.”
Mehman Aliyev: I understood, but we need to talk more.
Yevgeni: “Yes. We need to discuss further projects in details. For now, I can talk about the political landscape. They are cautious about Azerbaijan. For example, they resolutely contribute to those who want to overthrow Yanukovych’s regime in Ukraine, but for them the situation in Azerbaijan is more complicated. Thus, there are 3 sides here: “the current regime, democratic opposition and radical Islamists. They are afraid of overthrowing the regime, as radical Islamists controlled by Iran can be revealed. They fear much, because they failed in Syria, Egypt. They supported democratic revolution there, radical islamists took advantage of the situation. Therefore, they are afraid of such a variant in Azerbaijan and are ready to work with pro-Western, democratic opposition. Radical Islam has no alternative. They are afraid of this variant. Think about your arguments, how you will prove that such a threat is minimal in Azerbaijan. Because when the program is confirmed, these will be the first questions.
Mehman Aliyev: I understand very well. What they want from us first of all?
Yevgeni: Organizations, individuals who can help directly, accounts. These will be vegetarian programs on education, protection of human rights. But it is clear that all this will be pursued. Think which organizations can regard this assistance as legal.
Mehman Aliyev: How the assistance will be provided?
Yevgeni: These will be grant projects.
Mehman Aliyev is asked if it is favorable for him to discuss these issues over the phone. Aliyev says it is not favorable for him.
They agree to continue talking over the Internet.
Mehman Aliyev told APA that he had such a phone conversation.
He said it was on December 29, 2013.
Aliyev underlined that he does not know Yevgeni, who during the talks offered him various programs on change of power.
“Khagani Huseynov in Ukraine mediated between us. The phone call was unexpected for me. I still do not know who phoned me. I saw that the talk is unpleasant, therefore refused to continue. I asked what they wanted from me. He said they want to change the situation in Azerbaijan through evolution. He said they need an NGO to work with. I said I understood. Then he offered to continue the talk in the evening at 10, but I did not do it, because I did not like it. The person, whom I do not know, phones me with the mediation of Khagani Huseynov and gives provocative proposals. I did not like it and rejected,” he said.
“Though I know Khagani Huseynov, I did not ask him who that person was,” said Mehman Aliyev.
Huseynov told APA that such a talk was held, but said the content of the talks was different.
He said the talk focused on the implementation of the project on the improvement of election legislation in Ukraine and Azerbaijan.
He said Yevgeni is an activist in Ukraine and offered Mehman Aliyev to attract NGOs from Azerbaijan for this purpose.
“This is a project and in order to facilitate its implementation we plan to appeal to a number of foundations to get financial support,” he said.
Huseynov did not say what foundations they were going appeal to.
“I can not say, as it is not exact,” he said.
Noting that he had known Yevgeni for three years, Huseynov said he forgot his surname.
“He is an activist on these affairs. I have known him for a long time, but I have forgotten his surname,” he said.
Huseynov said as Mehman Aliyev refused the proposal, the realization of the project remains.
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