Trend, Azerbaijan
Nov 23 2008

It Is Interesting How Quickly Azerbaijanis are Learning Democracy –
Interview with Council of Europe Secretary General
23.11.08 14:28

France, Strasburg, 23 November/TrendNews, corr. A. Maharramli/
Interview with Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis and
Azerbaijani journalist at the Day of Solidarity, organized by the
Council of Europe

Question: How would you assess the importance of the international
conference on intercultural dialogue on the 2nd and 3rd of December in
Baku?

Answer: I am looking forward to it very much. I always enjoy my visits
to your country. My only regret is that it is a short visit. I have
made a personal request that I be allowed to visit your museum. I am
very interested in the culture of Azerbaijan. I have only seen the
outside of your museum. I think you may have several museums, of one
which I want to see, is where you have two big statues outside. You
know the one I mean? Well I have asked especially to see this
museum. I know that whether it is the first time or not, I know I
would enjoy my visit, because I’ve always been welcomed by the
Azerbaijani people.

Question: How would you rate the level of tolerance in Azerbaijan?

Answer: Well, I think that Azerbaijan is good in terms of respecting
minorities, and indeed I think that Georgia is good about respecting
the Azerbaijani minority in Georgia. You know I take a special
interest in the way minorities are treated. I have a very simple
philosophy. We are all different, but we are all equal. So, what does
worry me about Azerbaijan, I must tell you, I am very worried about
the way the press and media are treated. So, I look forward to
discussing this issue with your authorities.

Question: Will you talk with President Aliyev or other officials
during this visit?

Answer: I will talk with whomever I meet. I know President Aliyev very
well indeed. In fact I knew his father. I know President Aliyev, the
current president, very well indeed. I like him very much. I think he
is working very hard to modernize Azerbaijan, so I look forward to
seeing him again during this meeting, during this visit to Baku.

Question: You know, the presidential election in Azerbaijan was very
different from the election in Georgia and Armenia. However, there are
negative points in the position of the Council of Europe. How do you
explain that?

Answer: Well, I think the elections in Azerbaijan can be better, I do
not think there is any doubt that President Aliyev was definitely
elected, but I think the way of the elections are organized can be
better, and I think that that is in the best interest of Azerbaijan
and President Aliyev. But the most important thing is this: in a
democracy, the most important thing is how you treat your
opponents. In my opinion that is actually more important than election
polls, more important than the law, more important than the electoral
polls. The real side of a democracy is how a politician treats the
people who disagree. I explain it this way. My father had two
interests. His first interest was football. His second interest was
politics. Frankly, he was more interested in football. And when I was
a boy, he said something that I now realize was very clever.

He said to me, `Remember that in politics, and in football, you play
the ball and not the other player’. There is something else he said
that was very clever, very wise.

`Always remember that you may be wrong, critically, and the other
person may be right’. Those two statements reflect the way you should
behave toward the people who disagree with you. That is more important
than the law, the way you behave toward your opponents. Everybody
knows that Azerbaijan did not have a democracy until a few years
ago. I see it as an interest that Azerbaijan, and the Azerbaijanis,
are learning very quickly.