AZERBAIJAN COPYRIGHTS AGENCY: CLAIMS ON DINARE GIMATOVA’S PERFORMANCE TO ARMENIAN MELODY GROUNDLESS

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 13 2007

"The melody which was played during Azeri gymnast Dinare Gimatova’s
performance in an international tournament cannot be considered
Armenian song" is the extract from Azerbaijan Copyrights Agency (ACA)
deputy chairman Ogtay Semedov’s reply to the survey of Azerbaijan
Gymnastics Federation.

Armenian website claimed that Azerbaijan gymnastics team
leader Gimatova’s performance in an international tournament had been
accompanied by Armenian composer Ara Gevorkyan’s song "Azat Artsax"
and blamed Azerbaijan in plagiarism. Semedov stated that experts
had compared Armenian song with the melody played in the tournament
from the viewpoint of copyright law. It was found out that Caucasus
people’s rhythms, as well as Jengi, Yalli and other Azeri rhythms
are used in both pieces.

"The two songs are alike only in rhythms which cannot be considered
plagiarism since they are not protected by copyrights. The intonation
of the song which is claimed to belong to Armenian composer Ara
Gevorkyan has been taken from the song Azerbaijan composer Uzeyir
Hadjibeyov worked on basis of folklores. Copyright law defends form
in works and melody in song which means the song accompanied Dinare
Gimatova is composed of Azeri rhythms and Azerbaijan national dances.

Consequently, there can be nothing about plagiarism as Armenians
claim", he said.

ACA added that composer, national artist, State Prize winner, Prof.

Kheyyam Mirzezade and international expert for intellectual property,
Prof. K. Imanov noted that Armenian claims are groundless.