PROPAGANDISTIC ACTIVITIES OF AZERBAIJANI "DIASPORA"
Haykaram Nahapetyan
"Noravank" Foundation
07 July 2008
The Azerbaijani community organizations taking roots abroad don’t hide
that one of their main problems is to carry out active propagandistic
work against Armenia, and, according to the Azerbaijani party, "let
the world know all the truth about Azerbaijan." On March 16, 2006,
at the second Conference of World Azerbaijanis held in Baku, Ilham
Aliyev mentioned: "Although Azerbaijan is the aggrieved party of the
conflict, there is a wrong opinion about Azerbaijan’s conflict in the
world which is the result of the Armenian Diaspora’s propaganda." Later
on I. Aliyev announced "about the program of attacking Armenia from
all the sides, including the information field" (see ,
22.06.2007).
"Diaspora" has joined the Azerbaijani information aggression.
Azerbaijani mass media (newspapers, sites, magazines, publications)
is founded abroad and certain literature is spread. In the axis is
the Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijan and the community are presented
under a positive light, there are articles of historical, cultural
character, interviews with community figures. The publications not
concerning to the Armenian subject are also in the interest of the
Armenian party as by means of such a propaganda Azerbaijan solves
the problems of connecting the compatriots inhabited abroad with
Azerbaijan and ensuring unity.
Among the Azerbaijani mass media abroad should first of all be
mentioned the Azerbaijani Â"EuroxeberÂ" newspaper, which was first
issued on July 11, 2004. The presentation was held in the press
club in Baku. It is officially mentioned that the newspaper has 4
thousand print run, which may possibly be exaggeration. The newspaper
is delivered to the Azerbaijani communities of the EU countries, is
sent to the EU, European Council, OSCE official office, the legislators
of the EU countries. Euroxebar has also a site –
The newspaper is published by "Azerbaijani house" founded in Brussels
in 2000 by Gyurjam Byulent Fermanoghlu. He may be characterized as one
of the most active figures of Azerbaijani Diaspora in the EU. He was
born in 1962 in Igdir. By the way, the Fermanoghlus are from Janifda
village of the Armenian Armavir district. The parents of Gyurjam
Byulent Fermanoghlu moved from Armenia to Turkey in 1930s. In 1980
Fermanoghlu was inhabited in Brussels and worked as a correspondent for
"Hurryet" and "Terjyuman" newspapers. In 1987 was launched the Turkish
language "Gurbet" newspaper, which was the first Turkish language
printed body in Belgium. In 1995, after the Azerbaijani embassy was
opened in Brussels, he worked in the embassy for five years, than,
in 2000, he opened "Azerbaijani house," which makes a ground for
us to suppose that the work has been realized in the framework of
"state order."
Beginning from 2003 the lobbyist coming from Janfida published the
multivolume "Genocide" on the days of Khojalu events anniversary.
He was also present at the court procedure of Ramil Safarov and
was the main journalist to provide the Azerbaijani mass media with
information on the subject.
In Russia has been issued 2 voluminous Russian language newspapers
– "Azerros" and "Azerbajanski kongres." The publishers of
the newspapers are the two Azerbaijani most prominent lobbyist
organizations – "Azerros" (Federal national cultural self government
of Azerbaijanis in Russia) and "All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress"
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In spite of all the efforts of Baku, "Azerros" doesn’t obey the
Azerbaijani authorities. The newspaper is headed by the local
Azerbaijani businessmen, in particular by Soyun Sadikhov whose
relations with Baku are quite tense. In the editorial stuff of
"Azerros" work Russian, and the chief editor is Aleksander Babyakin
of Russian nationality. While touching upon the Armenian subject the
Russian editors of the paper are "allowed" to demonstrate some liberate
approaches. Here it should perhaps be mentioned the fact that the
newspaper is partially financed by the RF state budget. In particular
it is known that 150 thousand rubles were allocated to it in 2001-2004.
In one of the articles the deputy director of "Sukhoy" aircraft
company Vladimir Ilyushin says words of praise about the director
Michael Poghosyan. However "Azerros" is tough in its approaches to the
"Karabakh" issue which don’t differ from the ones of official Baku.
The approaches of "Azerbaijani congress" newspaper are more harmonious
with the Azerbaijani official propaganda. In the newspaper’s webpage
is in a separate page presented the subject of the Armenians allegedly
destruction of Azerbaijani monuments and an appeal is made to "the
Russian society, scientists, people of culture and just kind people
to raise their voice of protest against Armenian vandalism." Than
it is presented a list of Azerbaijani monuments in Shushi and its
surrounding, which are "under threat of destruction".
The Hague Peace Palace library was presented for about 16 volumes of
books on the subject of " Khojalu Genocide" as well as the novel of
the Azerbaijani writer Gurban Said "Ali and Nino" published in Dutch
by the head of the Netherlands based Union of Azerbaijani women "Ana
Vatan" Gyulshen Kyazimova and the Azerbaijani embassy in Netherlands.
Gurban Said’s book was translated into Dutch still in the Soviet
Period.
According to Azerbaijani sources the director of the library, Geron
Ferfilt, appreciated deeply the donation of the Azerbaijani party.
Within the framework of propaganda carried out by the Azerbaijanis
abroad let’s mention that on February 26, 2008 in Dusseldorf was shown
a film devoted to Khojalu events on "Chanel EuropeÂ" TV Chanel. On
February 27 the subject was also touched upon by the Frankfurt based
"Chanel-7."
According to the report of the State Committee for the work with
Azerbaijanis living abroad all these entrepreneurship became possible
thanks to "Germany inhabited Azerbaijani community institutions."
The Azerbaijani-French youth association in Paris began publication
of "Le Pon – bridge" journal which publishes Azerbaijani and French
language articles.
By the initiative of "Azerbaijani community in London" organization
the pro-Azerbaijani English language publications "Tragedy of
Khojalu: international viewpoint" and "International viewpoints:
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict on Karabakh" were sent to the United
Kingdom Foreign Minister David Miliband, 646 members of the Chamber
of Communities, 78 deputies representing Britain in the EU Parliament,
international news agencies such as "Washington Post," "Sunday Times,"
"New York Times," "Newsweek," "Boston Globe" and others. According to
Azerbaijani sources the books were also sent to the 60 world libraries.
The organization of "Europe’s Azerbaijanis forum" has become very
active in Istanbul. According to the organization’s head, Emil Mili,
the structure planes to establish an Azerbaijani news agency in
Europe. This was announced at the end of previous year; however,
at the moment there is no information about certain steps to be made.
Other issues of author DISCUSSIONS ON THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
COMMEMORATION DAY IN TURKISH MASS MEDIA [19.06.2008] ON THE
PROBLEM OF THE INCREASING NUMBER OF AZERBAIJANI WEB-SITES
IN THE INTERNET [31.01.2008] ON PURPOSEFUL DISINFORMATION
ACTIVITY IN AZERBAIJAN [03.09.2007] The dynamic of carrying
on the Azerbaijani lobbing [16.05.2007] The process of
the making of Azerbaijani lobbing: general data [26.04.2007]
–Boundary_(ID_S/3BxLEzchk+26DHZl/YP g)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
