Azeri ruling party happy about BBC’s response to criticism

Sarq, Bak
25 May 04

Text of Lala’s report by Azerbaijani newspaper Sarq on 25 May headlined
“The BBC has stopped the campaign against Azerbaijan” and subheaded
“The New Azerbaijan Party will monitor the programmes”

After the ruling New Azerbaijan Party’s secretariat sent a letter to
the headquarters of the BBC World Service, anti-Azerbaijani programmes
stopped. The ruling party will continue to monitor the BBC’s radio
programmes, the party’s deputy executive secretary, Mubariz Qurbanli,
has said.

The party’s secretariat sent a letter to the headquarters several
days ago to protest against the BBC Russian Service’s anti-Azerbaijani
propaganda. Responding to the party’s statement, the BBC has stopped
its anti-Azerbaijani propaganda, Qurbanli said.

“Although the BBC is a very powerful international media corporation,
its Russian language radio programmes, regrettably, contained some
aspects aimed against the Azerbaijani statehood. The reason for this is
that ethnic Armenians work for the Russian Service. They are directly
to blame for these programmes,” he said.

Qurbanli reckons that any body or organization operating in Azerbaijan
should voice its protest against the radio station, as the New
Azerbaijan Party did. “We believe that the party’s statement did
have an effect. The BBC looked into the issue. They told us that
appropriate measures were to be taken. However, in addition to this
we will continue our monitoring. We will issue a similar statement
again should the situation be repeated. At present, monitoring shows
that the radio station is operating within the legal limits.”