Interview with Ali Nasibov, chairman of the Association of New York Azerbaijanis (ANA).
Q: Do the Azerbaijani diaspora organizations maintain relations in the United States and what is done to inform more people in this country about Azerbaijan?
A: There are natural obstacles for a closer cooperation between our diaspora organizations. This obstacle is the geographic distance between us. Therefore, I have always proposed creation of a federation or confederation of the diaspora organizations of Azerbaijanis in Washington near the Azerbaijani embassy. The need for such a federation has been caused by the need of our unification, as each of the diaspora organizations is functioning in separate. Therefore, this requires coordination and regulation of our diaspora organizations in the United States to be of use to Azerbaijan. When each of these organizations is working in separate, then there are no contacts between us which impedes the implantation of the lobbyist activity. I expect the State Committee for Diaspora to provide support to the settlement of these issues. The State Committee should initiate creation of a federation or association in order to unite the diaspora organizations of Azerbaijanis in the United States. In this case, the diaspora organizations of Azerbaijanis in the United States will be able to get a single setting for the activity in Baku.
Q: Why did some diaspora organizations of Azerbaijanis in the United States refuse to unite in a single structure?
A: I think all our diaspora organizations in the United States want to unite. As I have already mentioned, the distance between our hampers our unification. For example, the time gap between New York and California is 7-8 hours which makes our ties difficult. Therefore, a single structure would unite our organization. For example, we organize an action outside the Armenian office in UN on February 26 every year, but our diaspora organizations in California are not aware of this year because the time gap between us is that when it is morning here, it is night there. Meanwhile, the single structure will help coordinate our actions and ensure joint participation in the conducted events.
Q: Do the Azerbaijani and Turkish diaspora organizations maintain cooperation?
A: The organization I head is closely cooperating with the Turkish diaspora organizations. There is a federation in New York which united 38 Turkish diaspora associations. We are taking an active part in their annual Turkish marches. Along with this, our organizations are taking a joint part in the annual actions against fictional “Armenian genocide” they held every year in the center of New York in Time square. These events show that the joint activity of the organizations brings much effect.
Q: Are the accusations of some Turkish mass media regarding Azerbaijanis which say they are passive in discussions of the resolutions on “Armenian genocide” in the US congress founded?
A: False information is spread in a number of cases in Turkey, because we in New York are working together with the Turkish diaspora organizations. These organizations have declared that the number of Azerbaijanis partaking in the last year action against “genocide” exceeded the number of those who come from Turkey. They said there were 21 Azerbaijani and 17 Turkish flags in that action. However, the reports about the absence of Azerbaijanis in that action spread in Turkey.
Q: How do Turks residing in the United States treat the possible opening of the Turkish-Armenian border?
A: I would like to note that Turks residing in the United States agree that the opening of borders must follow the liberation of occupied Azerbaijani lands. Turks also agree that Turkey must provide every assistance to Azerbaijan in the Karabakh conflict settlement which is proven by discussions organized in the said topics on the internet radio we have opened in the United States.
Q: Do you think the activity of the Azerbaijani diaspora is satisfactory?
A: I would like to note that the Azerbaijani diaspora in the United States has 20-year history, while the Armenian diaspora in the United States has a history of over 200 years.
The history of the Azerbaijani diaspora in the United States should not include the part that was organized from among those who left from Germany to Turkey and then to New Jersey upon completion of the World War Second. They have a small community in which they have recently marked their 50th anniversary. I would like to repeat that the coordinated activity demands participation of the Azerbaijani state. I mean that the program of the united Azerbaijani organization in case of its creation must be coordinated with Azerbaijan. Issues envisioning united activity which will be useful for the Azerbaijani state must also be coordinated with Baku.
Q: Might Baku interference in the affairs of the Azerbaijani diaspora in US cause a split?
A: Even members of a family have different views on some issues. This may happen. Everything depends on the level and outlook of the people represented in these organizations. For example, a Shusha native wants to conduct the Day of Shusha, while another stresses the need to raise the Karabakh problem. Therefore, the availability of the single program will have a wider effect.
Q: Which work do the Azerbaijani diaspora organizations hold to intensify their activity in the sociopolitical life of the United States, for the purpose of nominating candidates from among diaspora organizations for elections or support to any candidate?
A: Under the US laws, every organization or a person can transfer funds to the account of a candidate for the Congress members in period of the election campaign. In this regard, our diaspora organizations could ensure this support for the candidates to further have an opportunity to ask them to support Azerbaijan. This is what Jews and Armenians are doing. In conditions of unity among the Azerbaijani diaspora organizations, it is possible to gain success in bringing use to Azerbaijan. However, the small number of our organizations on the one hand and the absence of unity among them, on the other hand, hamper the achievement of greater results in Azerbaijan’s favor.
In addition, there have already been the examples of nomination of Azerbaijani candidacies for elections. For example, Azerbaijani by ethnic, business Paul Murad has nominated his candidacy for the post of Nevada governor. By nominating his candidacy, he expects our support. Our organization was among those who provided material assistance to him. All these processes are just on the start. At the same time, we should take into account that people who have recently moved from Azerbaijan to the United States have language barriers and problems of adaptation in a new society.
Meanwhile, there will naturally be the candidates for Congress and the Senate from among those next generations who study in the United States and are integrated in the society. In these conditions, the diaspora organizations will have to provide their assistance. For example, if there was unity among our diaspora organizations, they would have united to support Paul Murad. In turn, in case elected, Murad could have provided assistance to other Azerbaijanis. The creation of this system is our aim to ensure representation of Azerbaijanis in the US executive and legislative powers.
I would also like to note that Azerbaijan has recently been conducting a very serious work in involving US Congressmen to the US-Azerbaijani group. The number of congressmen represented in this group is growing and they will further provide assistance to promote Azerbaijan’s interests.
Q: How active is the Armenian diaspora in the United States and what is being done to resist their activity?
A: I cannot say that the Armenian diaspora is too strong. Certainly, it is stronger than ours but weaker than the Jewish diaspora. There are many wealthy people among the representatives of the Armenian diaspora and they have an opportunity to hold a marathon to collect funds for Karabakh separatists by means of the US TV channel within a day. Certainly, people watching it will consider that the Armenian diaspora is active, but in fact, they are not so strong.
News.Az
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