Today.Az, Azerbaijan
Javanshir Quliyev: "Azerbaijan does not have so many people of Rustam
Ibrahimbekov’s level for their statements to become a subject of
unjust criticism"
04 July 2008 [11:01] – Today.Az
Day.Az interview with famous composer Javanshir Quliyev.
– How would you comment on the fact that a number of local mass medias
criticized the chairman of the Azerbaijan Cinematographers Union
Rustam Ibrahimbekov who stated that not Armenian people but their
leadership, army and policy are our enemies?
– First of all, there are not so many people of Rustam Ibrahimbekov’s
level in Azerbaijan for their statements to become a subject of unjust
criticism.
As for your question, I agree with Rustam Ibrahimbekov that the whole
people can not be the enemy of another people. In this case, it is
possible to say that indeed not the Armenian people by their
leadership, which conducts the occupation policy towards our country,
is our enemy.
We should not forget that many Armenians openly criticize the actions
of the working leadership of Armenia, calling to review relations with
Turkey and Azerbaijan. Moreover, there are great many of Armenians,
living outside Armenia, who have never demonstrated their hatred
towards Azerbaijan and its people and perceived the conflict between
our countries as their personal tragedy. In other words, each case is
individual and it is incorrect to regard all representatives of the
nation as our enemies.
– How do assess the fact that Ukrainian film director of Armenian
ethnicity Roman Balayan shot a film "Birds of Heaven", based on Rustam
Ibrahimbekov’s script?
– I take it normally. This is an ordinary cooperation of two art
figures. According to opponents of such kinds of contacts, Azerbaijani
physical scientist will have to reject participation in the project of
his Armenian colleague. I think to support such ideas means to return
to Middle Ages.
But if there are such views in Azerbaijan of the 21st century, it is
not excluded that I will also be criticized, as I have cooperated with
great film director Sergey Parajanov.
Those, who have turned into jigno and controller of contacts between
Azerbaijanis and Armenians, should ponder over the consequences, their
statements may have for Azerbaijan in the eyes of the world society. I
think their statement will bring nothing positive to Azerbaijan, as we
will return Nagorno Karabakh sooner or later but we will not be able
to escape the co-existence with Armenians in one and the same
region. It means we should not only benefit from the really fascist
statements of the Armenian leadership about the genetic
incompatibility of Armenians and Azerbaijan but also to avert such
statements, as they affect Azerbaijan’s positions in the issue of
Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement.
– You have mentioned your cooperation with Soviet film director of the
Armenian ethnicity Sergey Parajanov, who arrived in Azerbaijan at the
height of Nagorno Karabakh conflict to shoot the film Ashig
Kerib". How did the Armenian society of that time react to Sergey
Parajanov’s choice?
– Similarly as on the statements of Rustam Ibrahimbekov, though
Armenians went further in demonstrating their hatred towards Sergey
Parajanov. Particularly, as he said to me, they burnt his scarecrow at
one of the meeting for shooting "a Muslim film".
– What do you remember of the cooperation with this film director and
what was his attitude to Azerbaijan?
– I have the most kind remembrances of cooperation with Sergey
Parajanov. He was the real professional of his art and a nice
person. s for his attitude towards Azerbaijan, it did not differ from
his attitude towards other countries of the former USSR, which he
visited. He also had friends in our capital.
Moreover, he always had a tape of Alim Qasimov’s songs on him, which
he listened with tears in his eyes. But the most surprising is that he
lived and worked in Baku for a month three months after the Sumgayit
events of 1988. He stayed in the Azerbaijan hotel, current Hyatt
Regency.
Though surprising, Azerbaijan’s attitude towards Parajanov in 1988,
when Nagorno Karabakh conflict was starting, was better than to Rustam
Ibrahimbekov, who "dared" to remain honest and have his own point of
view, in the present-day Azerbaijan. At least, one can come to such a
conclusion while analyzing the reaction of a number of mass media to
correct and brave announcement of this person.
– What is behind these unwise statements of some of our public
representatives, stating impossibility of contacts between
Azerbaijanis and Armenians?
– I think it lies in political short-sightedness and their being
unaware of the processes, currently ongoing in the world. I would
recommend them to go abroad to expand their outlook.
Moreover, such criticism is used by people, experiencing banal envy to
the courage of expressing one’s thoughts, to the status and talent of
the objects of their criticism. It is not for me to judge whether it
is true or not, but envy can also be the cause of it.
/Day.Az/
From: Baghdasarian