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Azerbaijani parliamentarians criticize US President Barack Obamaâ€™s opinion about the media in Azerbaijan

08 May 2009 12:10 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Elbrus Seyfullayev â€“ APA. Milli Mejlis hold a regular meeting of its spring session. The parliamentarians spoke about the current issues before the meeting. They expressed protest against the US President Barack Obamaâ€™s opinion about the situation of media in Azerbaijan in his address on the World Press Freedom Day, APA reports.

MP Ganira Pashayeva said the US President was injustice in his opinion about Azerbaijan. She said it was not correct to identify Azerbaijan with such countries like Zimbabwe and Uzbekistan. â€œThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs has to invite the US ambassador to make the issue clear. Why they didnâ€™t mention such undemocratic country like Armenia?â€

MP Sayavush Novruzov said the situation of media in Azerbaijan was same with Europe and superior of the United States. â€œArmenia banned all newspapers during the March events last year. Why they didnâ€™t say anything about that? I donâ€™t know whether the embassy is not working or delivering incorrect informationâ€.
MP Khanhuseyn Kazimli proposed the MNinistry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan to take necessary measures for this issue.

MP Mubariz Gurbanli said â€œit might be result of false reports to the United States on Azerbaijanâ€. He blamed the US embassy in Azerbaijan as well.

Speaker Ogtay Asadov also spoke about the issue. â€œI told last time that we are working badly. The newspapers reported that as if I told that we are not working. I am saying that we have to work. An Armenian Senator sent a letter to Obama that if he didnâ€™t use â€œgenocideâ€ word, they would lose the elections. I donâ€™t doubt that there is a role of Armenian lobby in the forming of Obamaâ€™s ideas about Azerbaijan. Dear members of the parliament, you are visiting the embassy frequently than others. Why you donâ€™t deliver true information about Azerbaijan? Why you donâ€™t do this work? Unfortunately, while the national interests are in the focus, most of Azerbaijanis deliver negative reportsâ€.

Speaker also said that the happenings would not damage US-Azerbaijan relations.

Parliamentarians also expressed their opinion of the tragic incident occurred in Azerbaijan State Oil Academy. MP Arzu Samadbayli said the tragic incident in Azerbaijan State Oil Academy showed that the activity of the law-enforcement bodies was not perfect.
â€œThey arrived at the site 20 minutes later. Some doubt whether the incident was committed by one man. Therefore, special parliamentary investigation commission should be established,â€ he said.

MP Igbal Agazadeh also offered to establish parliamentary investigation commission in connection with the incident in the academy. He offered the parliament to hold closed meeting concerning Karabakh negotiations and wanted the parliamentarians to be informed about the negotiations.

â€œThe incident in Azerbaijan State Oil Academy should not be used for political purposes,â€ said MP Mubariz Gurbanli and added that investigation group had been established, the work continued and the public were informed about it.

Speaker Ogtay Asadov underlined that the President controlled the investigation of the incident in the academy.
â€œWe condemn this tragedy,â€ he said.

Following this, the parliamentarians began discussing the issues on the agenda.