Interview with Jeyhun Mollazade, chairman of the America-Azerbaijan Council and co-director of the US Azeris Network.
Q: How do you assess the current level of US-Azerbaijani relations?
A: In general, relations between Azerbaijan and the United States are at a consistently high level, reaching a level of strategic partnership.
But these relations have room to develop further. I'm talking about the possibilities for deepening military-strategic, economic and cultural relations between our countries.
Q: How would you explain the fact that the United States is only state in the world to officially issue financial aid to separatists from the so-called “Nagorno-Karabakh republic?”
A: The US allocates financial aid for humanitarian purposes based on decisions of Congress committees and Congress itself. So, this aid for Karabakh separatists is the fruit of the work of the Armenian diaspora in the US which has some influence and is able to exert pressure on the US Congress.
This is a great example which shows that the interests of any community in the US may run counter to the state's national interests. And Azerbaijan needs to work hard to explain to US congressmen how wrong their decisions adopted under pressure from the Armenian diaspora are.
Q: Does the Armenian diaspora have a common stance on ways to resolve the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?
A: Part of the Armenian diaspora is very radical. This is directly related to the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaksutyun. These people adhere to the ideology of this party. Their position is that Armenia should expand its territory through the territories of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. This part of the Armenian diaspora rejects any initiatives aimed at peace, stability and cooperation in our region. But also there are more moderate groups among the Armenian diaspora who understand that these claims are nonsense.
They advocate dialogue between Turkey and Armenia. But both radical and moderate groups of the Armenian diaspora have a united position on the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.
They claim that Nagorno-Karabakh is part of Armenia. The United States leadership is also aware of these realities. It would be far more logical and practical if the diaspora tried not aggravate the already difficult situation in the South Caucasus region, but took positive steps to peace and stability in the region which will ultimately be beneficial to Armenia itself as it is now experiencing tough socio-economic times.
Q: Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan claims that the turnover of Armenian money worldwide is $10 billion annually, which is three times greater than the budget of the country. There are increasing complaints in the Armenian media that the Armenian diaspora does not make enough investments in solving the social and economic problems of the republic. How do you explain this
A: This may be because a wealthy part of the Armenian diaspora is not satisfied with the strategic course of the Armenian leadership Moreover, Armenia to this day continues to implement projects funded by these or other diaspora representatives .
But, in general, the main work of the Armenian diaspora is aimed at lobbying the issue of recognition of the mythical "genocide” in the Ottoman Empire in the parliaments of various countries and making these states render financial assistance to Armenia.
As to the $10 billion indicated as annual turnover of the Armenian diaspora, this seems to me very questionable, because I cannot figure out how this amount is calculated.
It would be better to speak of an annual budget of the Armenian diaspora which is formed through donations. And it is not as much as the amount mentioned by the president of Armenia.
Akper Hasanov
News.Az
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