AZERI RULING PARTY OFFICIAL DISMISSES US-BASED BODY’S RESEARCH RESULTS

Day.Az
March 11 2008
Azerbaijan

11 March: We have repeatedly stated that there are some international
organizations that deliberately try to put Armenia and Georgia above
Azerbaijan when compiling their reports.

MP Mubariz Qurbanli, deputy executive secretary of the [governing]
New Azerbaijan Party, said this in a comment on the Index of State
Weakness [published] by the Brookings Institution research centre
which describes Azerbaijan as weaker than Armenia and Georgia in
terms of statehood.

Qurbanli believes that the first reason for our country allegedly
lagging behind the neighbours is Christian solidarity because, as
Christians, leaders of such organizations protect Armenia and Georgia.

"They try show to Western countries that everything is allegedly
normal in these states and they can be given the aid they need. The
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict [over Nagornyy Karabakh] lies in the
root of the biased attitude towards Azerbaijan. Pro-Armenian circles
which put Azerbaijan lower than Armenia in such lists try in this
way to obtain levers of pressure on our country," he said.

Qurbanli noted that this was confirmation of the double standards
that the Brookings Institution research centre was guided by when
preparing the said report.

The MP said that such ratings cause regret and indignation in
Azerbaijan.

"Azerbaijan is much stronger than Armenia and Georgia from the point
of view of economy, politics, democracy and human rights. Azerbaijan
is stronger than these countries both in terms of living conditions
and social security. We know this, and organizations that prepare
ratings know this full well," Qurbanli said.