PRESENTATION DEVOTED TO AZERBAIJAN HELD IN USA NATIONAL FUND OF DEMOCRACY
[February 18, 2005, 19:41:09]

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
Feb 18 2005

As stated by correspondent of AzerTAj, in the US National Fund of
Democracy was held a presentation on the topic “Real opportunities of
democracy in Azerbaijan”. Participants of the action have estimated
statement of researcher of the Brooking Institute Fiona Hill and
report by Chingiz Mammadov conducting researches in the National Fund
of Democracy on Azerbaijan, as “the most correct and exact report”
on democratic development in Azerbaijan. The authors of the report
have considered situation of Azerbaijan not in frameworks of “velvet
revolutions”, occurred in the Eurasian region.

Chingiz Mammadov has emphasized that the revolution accomplished
nowadays in Georgia and Ukraine, happened in Azerbaijan twelve years
ago. In comparison with Georgia, the population in Azerbaijan from the
political point of view is more cautious, and it has more tendencies
to democratic transformations. We are ready to democracy, and past
presidential elections once again have reaffirmed it.

Researchers, complaining that the USA does not give sufficient
attention to Azerbaijan, have noted, that they consider Azerbaijan as
a state of Near-Eastern type. This is erroneous opinion, Azerbaijan
was the first in the Muslim East, established in 1918 a democratic
state. The international public should understand, what important
role is played by Azerbaijan in region and the Muslim world, should
increase to it attention. In particular, it should show fair attitude
to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict.

Authors of the report have noted, that the prejudiced approach during
already long time to the question of Nagorno-Karabakh, has negatively
affected the opinion on the international public in Azerbaijan,
on its authority. People feel that at the democratic statements
addressed to Azerbaijan, too, there are double standards.