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Israeli ambassador: â€œAzerbaijan is still in the list of threat warning for Israeli citizens because of its neighbors and geographical positionâ€ - INTERVIEW

27 August 2012 09:40 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Victoria Dementieva â€“ APA. Interview with Israeli Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Lotem

- You are finishing your diplomatic mission in Azerbaijan. What changes happened during your diplomatic activity in Azerbaijan and ho do you estimate the development of bilateral cooperation between the countries?

- I think many years, if compared what happened during my first year and the last half-year of my staying here, I see a huge difference. One thing did not change - it is continuous and solid basis, very close and â€˜intimateâ€™ dialogue between Azerbaijan and Israel on all levels: senior official level, political etc. It is the dialogue between the people which understand each other and who see similar ways.

- Is the development of trade observed, particularly in the field of information technologies?

- There was a growth and I can not indicate the figures but I see two things- one is the number of companies The new companies goes beyond traditional infrastructure, content We have a few ideas of Israeli IT companies to produce here.
There is another model of thinking when I talk about new things- Israeli are interested to buy a local factory and upgrade it. Major companies want to come and see the market potential of the region. These are the companies in light industry, telecommunication and medicine.

- During his visit to Azerbaijan, Israeli agriculture minister spoke about the plans of signing bilateral agreements in this field. What phase is this issue in?

- This is one of the agreements that are pending. I am sure that in near future there will be an opportunity to sign it.

- And what are the other pending agreements?

- We are also going to sign an agreement on exemption of visa for diplomatic passport holders. And there are also some technical agreements that will facilitate the business community.

- South Caucasus like a non-secure place for Israelis. Azerbaijan is regularly included in the list of non-secure countries for Israeli citizens. Earlier this year Azerbaijani security organizations have prevented the terrorist attacks against the Israeli citizens. How does it impact on the embassyâ€™s activity and bilateral relations?

- Yes. Unfortunately, there is a long list of countries. You saw what happened in the last half-year, the attack was in Tbilisi, in Delhi, Bangkok, Bulgaria, in few places of Africa.
We (embassy) are working usually, Israelis are not scared.

- Is Azerbaijan still included in the list?

- It is still in the threat warning. And it is not something specific, it is a general warning, because Israelis want to keep an open eye. And this warning is not to Azerbaijanis, but is with your neighbors. We should be careful when we mind about it.

-What experience you could get during your appointment in Azerbaijan?

- Azerbaijan is an amazing example to how different groups and different religions â€“ Muslims, Jews, Christians - it does not matter what faith you are â€“ are you a Sunni Muslim or Shia, it is not an issue. I think that here in Azerbaijan it is the evidence whenever I asked in the street, people should understand and we can see it here in Azerbaijan, that faith is not an issue.

- Who is a new Israeli ambassador to Azerbaijan and when he will arrive?

- Mr Rafi Arpaz. He has been a career diplomat. His last appointment was in Washington, he served in Switzerland, South America and West Africa. He is more than 20 years in his job. So that gives us only encouragement because I am sure that he will follow this important mission. He looks forward to come to Azerbaijan. And he plans to arrive on August 29.

- Israel and Turkey are trying to reestablish the dialog following the tensions occurred after the incident that happened in 2010 in Mediterranean Sea. What can you say about it?

- Every junior student of diplomatic relations faculty if you give them a map and the issues that are involved and what is happening with the countries they will tell you that these two countries- Turkey and Israel - should go together. There are so many good reasons, starting with economics, history â€“ good relations of Turks and Jews for centuries, and up to strategic interests and threats. We are in a situation there we are. I know that my government is doing a lot trying to bring the situation back to normal, using all possible tracks to Turkish government to also realize that it is in mutual interest.

- Israeli foreign minister said that they didnâ€™t intend to recognize so-called â€œArmenian genocideâ€? But this issue was discussed in Knesset and according to press reports, Israelâ€™s minister of propaganda to lay the flowers at â€œgenocideâ€ monument during the visit to Armenia?

- The Government of Israel has a very clear line presented itself outside and also inside by Knesset â€“Israeli parliament. And we donâ€™t think that such kind of an issue should be politicized. It is an event that needs to be studied, searched and valued historically not politically. The Knesset discusses the issue almost on daily basis. That is all things of democracy. Elected members of parliament raise any issue but at the end of the day even those who see things historically different donâ€™t want that their interpretation of the history become a political issue, because very easily you can go in wrong directions. There is one Holocost and I donâ€™t want and I think nobody else wants it would become a matter of voting in the parliament.

- There are a lot of versions in international press about the possibility of Israelâ€™s attack on Iran. The politicians are divided into two fronts while discussing this issue and some of them support the start of these operations soon. But Israeli president was against the operations without US support. What is your opinion on that?

- It is certain that if Iran keeps on doing that it is doing now they will get to a bomb and the international community will not allow them to get the nuclear bomb. Everything on the road that confuses the Iranians, I donâ€™t regret it.

- This year Israeli tourists visited the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. What is Israelâ€™s official position?

- It is not a tendency, only one time event. Obviously when political interpretation I can guarantee you that the people who go there do not make any political point. The Land of Israel within 1967 borders or beyond 1967 border is full of historical sight-seeing. And if you go to a place you go there because of political statement or you go have a rest. Israelis start coming more and more to Azerbaijan for tourism and they took aside the Karabakh issue and they want only to visit Azerbaijan and that is all.

Officially we have a statement on our official site that who choose to go may face the situation when they cannot enter Azerbaijan.