EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE: "WE INTEND TO EXTEND COOPERATION WITH AZERBAIJANI DIASPORA"
Azeri Press Agency
Aug 18 2008
Azerbaijan
Baku. Lachin Sultanova-APA. APA interview with Executive Director of
the American Jewish Committee David Allen Harris during his recent
visit to Azerbaijan
-What impression did you have about Baku and Azerbaijan during
your visit?
-It is my first visit to Azerbaijan. I visited on President Ilham
Aliyev’s invitation. I met Azerbaijani President at the Davos Energy
Summit in Switzerland in January and received invitation there. I
saw kindness and rapid economic development in Azerbaijan, which
encourage me to be optimist about Azerbaijan’s future.
-Did you meet with Jewish people residing in Azerbaijan?
-I met with Azerbaijani officials and leaders of Muslim, Orthodox,
Catholic and Jewish communities as well. It was interesting that the
leaders of two Jewish communities – upland and ashkinazi – participated
at the meeting. They said that they lived here comfortably and had
no problems. Religious tolerance in Azerbaijan is a model for entire
world. I would like to especially emphasize that it is very important
for our world now.
-Is the Committee you lead working with the Jewish communities in
Azerbaijan and assisting them financially?
-We are working not only with the Jewish communities, but other
religious communities I mentioned and we have very good relations
with them. Our cooperation covers political and diplomatic spheres,
but financial assistance is not our job. Other Jewish organizations
are doing it.
-Are you cooperating with the Azerbaijani Diaspora in USA?
– We are cooperating with Azerbaijani Diaspora and intending
to extend this cooperation. It is within the interests of both
sides. An important part of Azerbaijani Diaspora is the Jewish people
migrated from Azerbaijan. They play a role of bridge between the
two communities.
-Mass grave site was found in Guba, compactly settled by the
Jews. According to some reports, there are Jews among those who were
buried there. How can your Committee help the research work done in
the grave site?
-It is very important to investigate what happened in the history. But
we are engaged in politics and diplomacy. Though this is not our
sphere, we can support this process to some extent. Unfortunately,
Jews were killed in most places of the world. Though over 60 years
passed, new names are being included into the list of the Jews killed
during World War II.
-What is your opinion of the discussion of the so-called Armenian
genocide in Israeli parliament?
-I have no information about it. I would be very much surprised, if
you said it was initiated by Israeli government. I will visit Israel
next month, I will concern myself with this issue during my visit. I
think that the most proper approach is that the Turkish and Armenians
should discuss and analyze these events around the table and come to
the conclusion.
-How do you assess the recent developments in Georgia? Do they have
impact on Azerbaijan? Will it irritate Russia, if Georgia becomes
member of NATO?
-The region is witnessing historic event amid happenings in
Georgia. Discussions on the membership of Georgia and Ukraine
slowed down after Bucharest summit of NATO, but have become urgent
now. There is election campaign in the US, discussions on this theme
will intensify. It will be discussed on the highest level whether
Russia will annex North Ossetia and Abkhazia, Georgia will enter
NATO without these territories and whether NATO will accept Georgia
without these territories. The recent happenings are important not
only for Georgia, but also the whole region, Azerbaijan and its
territorial integrity. Azerbaijan is located in the hardest region,
it has such neighbors like Iran and Russia. America’s position on
these happenings is very important for Azerbaijan. The happenings in
Iran also are of great importance of Azerbaijan. Election campaign
in the US makes the situation more complicated, because few decisions
are made during the elections.