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Novruz Mammadov: Various circles, especially Armenia are interested in exaggerating the issue on Eurovision â€“ EXCLUSIVE

Novruz Mammadov: Various circles, especially Armenia are interested in exaggerating the issue on Eurovision â€“ <font color=red>EXCLUSIVE </font>

19 August 2009 16:08 (UTC +04:00)

- How do you evaluate the investigations concerning the Azerbaijanis who voted for Armenia in Eurovision-2009 and the international reaction to it?

- I do not know who is making investigation. Principally, I concerned myself with it and saw that it is exaggerated. It should be taken into consideration that Azerbaijan is a young state having 18-year independence, the officials do not have so rich experience. Thatâ€™s why various circles, especially Armenia are interested in exaggerating it. It was not as one described it. I think that some got a chance to carry out campaign against Azerbaijan. No doubt these issues should be considered attentively.

It has become a business in Azerbaijan, some opposition representatives try to humiliate Azerbaijan in order to achieve their goals and draw attention of some circles of the West. It seems that there is an opportunity to draw dividends from this process, because such cases are often observed.

Not only the region, but also the whole world knows that Azerbaijan is a peace loving and tolerant state. Representatives of various nations have been living on friendly terms in Azerbaijan for hundreds of years. Armenians also lived here for a long time, there are over 20,000 Armenians in the country now. I do not understand why Armenian circles, other western sources do not speak about 20,000 Armenians living in Azerbaijan. But they do their best to damage the image of Azerbaijan. Armenia and the circles serving their interests carry out deliberate and biased campaign against Azerbaijan. We can only regret it.

- President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev is expected to visit Azerbaijan. What new forms of cooperation may be discussed during the visit?

- Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have high-level cooperation. This cooperation is improving and it has prospects of development. But for now I can not give exact information about this visit. There are probabilities. Azerbaijani President visited Kazakhstan and Kazakhstanâ€™s President visited Azerbaijan. Repeat of these visits is of great importance. Under the present circumstances, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have good energy, economic and commercial relations.

- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev initiated to establish Caspian economic cooperation organization. How do you assess this proposal?

- It is difficult to say a concrete word about it, because Russian President made this initiative in Astrakhan some days ago. Of course, it is an interesting view, idea. It should be studied before expressing position. I think that Medvedevâ€™s view may aim to solve a more important problem. The status of the Caspian should be solved before establishing Caspian economic cooperation organization. This issue has almost been solved by three states â€“ Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. This opinion may help solve this issue between Turkmenistan and Iran. The question is that the status of the Caspian should be determined first, then basing on this status cooperation in the Caspian, establishment of Caspian economic cooperation organization may be discussed. Then it will be easy to determine on what principles the cooperation will be based.

- Do the recent terrorist attacks in the North Caucasus have any influence on Azerbaijan?

- Of course, North Caucasus â€“ south of Russian Federation is the closest border of Azerbaijan in the north. Azerbaijan-Russia border is long enough in the north. Thatâ€™s why we have a delicate approach to the happenings in the south of Russia. Of course we are concerned over these happenings. The steps taken to achieve some goals by terrorist actions can not be acquitted. We have always condemned terrorism, we condemn those who want to achieve some goals by terrorist actions. We are concerned over the happenings in the North Caucasus. We do not want stability, security to be violated in the north of Azerbaijan, in general the entire region.