MOST AZERBAIJANIS KEEN TO FIND SHELTER ABROAD PRETEND TO BE ARMENIANS – STATE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Feb 29 2008

Azerbaijan, Baku, 29 February / Trend News corr. S.Ilhamgizi /
Most Azerbaijanis keen to find shelter abroad change their names
and surnames and pretend to be Armenians, Nazim Ibrahimov, chairman
of State Committee on Work with Azerbaijanis Reside Abroad, stated
to journalists.

Those persons pretending to be Armenians have stated that their reason
for leaving Azerbaijan is due to the fact that they have experienced
pressure in Azerbaijan due to their national origin.

"People who wish to find shelter abroad to follow their own interests
and have betrayed their state and nation should not return to
Azerbaijan, Ibrahimov said.

An investigation has been launched into cases connected with
falsification of documents.

Ibrahimov stated that there was no political persecution in Azerbaijan
and newly-opened newspaper agencies have included articles of a
critical nature.