Turan news agency, Azerbaijan
July 8 2008
AZERI LEADER BRUSHES ASIDE FOREIGN PRESSURE, PLEDGES TO BACK NATIONAL
INTERESTS
Baku, 8 July: Azerbaijan is not in need of financial support and
recommendations of the international community. The government knows
well what it does and will not let interference in the internal
affairs of the country. This was the tenor of the address of
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to the third conference of the
diplomatic representatives of the country on Monday [7 July].
The rhetoric and argumentation of Aliyev more and more remind us of
speeches of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. The process of
construction is under way across the whole of the country, society is
in the period of spiritual upheaval and these all are Azerbaijan’s
reality.
Over the last three years the national economy has grown by 96 per
cent, the poverty rate has reduced from 49 to 16 per cent, a total of
650,000 jobs have been created over five years, he said. Further Ilham
Aliyev burst out with tirade which has little in common with
diplomacy: "Let those who say that ‘something is wrong in Azerbaijan’,
‘something is done badly’, ‘there are shortcomings’ look at a mirror
and their own countries," Aliyev said.
"I want to reiterate that our position on these issues has become
stricter and unambiguous after the second conference. We certainly
observe diplomatic rules and you ambassadors have to do so. If they do
not show proper respect towards you despite the fact that you are
diplomats, pay them back in their own coin. No-one has the right to
interfere in the domestic affairs of Azerbaijan, give us advice and
read lectures. We have not given anyone such a right and have not
assumed commitments before any country."
Having said this, he immediately acknowledged that Azerbaijan has
commitments to international organizations and it honours them.
"If our membership of these organizations is not advantageous for
someone, let them say this directly. What will happen if we are not in
international organizations? Azerbaijan will not die. When Azerbaijan
was in a heavy situation in 1993 before Heydar Aliyev’s accession to
power, who was our supporter? Azerbaijan has the right to decide how
to live and how to govern the country. If someone has malign
intentions against Azerbaijan, we shall fight against them in order to
protect our independent policy," Aliyev said.
Aliyev said that Azerbaijan cooperates with the EU and integrates into
Europe not for the reason that it expects something from the EU. "New
members of the EU get billions of dollars in aid. We do not need
it. Therefore, we conduct an independent policy both at home and in
the foreign policy, including the energy diplomacy," Aliyev said.
Being infuriated more and more, the president said that over the
country’s seven-year membership of this organization, the issue of
Azerbaijan was discussed eight times although other countries of the
CIS [the Commonwealth of Independent States], which had joined the
Council of Europe earlier, were not awarded such a bigger
attention. At the same time, Aliyev reproached the Council of Europe
for double standards. Azerbaijan is frequently subjected to ungrounded
attacks and criticism. It is necessary that a similar "hypocritical"
policy with regard to Azerbaijan remain in the past, said Aliyev,
adding that "not a single mechanism of pressure on Azerbaijan works".
Speaking about the Karabakh settlement, Aliyev confirmed Azerbaijan’s
readiness to grant a higher autonomy status to Nagornyy Karabakh. "No
bigger compromise is possible," Aliyev said.
Azerbaijan has established diplomatic relations with 160 states; 57
embassies, consulates and representative offices of international
organizations function in the country. A total of 56 diplomatic
representative offices of Azerbaijan, including 47 embassies, function
abroad.