KARABAKH CONFLICT MUST BE PROMOTED TO PROBLEM OF ISLAMIC WORLD: RUSSIAN PUBLIC FIGURE
Today.Az
13 August 2009 [18:20]
Well-known Russian philosopher, public figure and ideologist of
political Islam of Azerbaijan origin Heydar Jamal spoke in an interview
with Day.Az.
Day.Az: In various interviews and articles you have expressed
your opinion about Karabakh conflict on numerous occasions. How
do you assess the latest developments around the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict? Is there real progress in resolving the conflict, or this
is nothing but unreasonable optimistic statements by the co-chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group?
Heydar Jamal: Regular tough statements by Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev is an important step in the development of Azerbaijan’s position
on the situation around Karabakh. This is very important. Separately,
I would like to note Russia’s role in resolving the conflict. It has
not a significant factor of influence on Armenia in recent times. In
the Armenian political circles significance of American factor has
sharply increased and Iran remains main partner of Armenia. It should
be clear that neither Iran nor Russia and the United States has real
interest in solution to the Karabakh issue as the tension around this
theme in combination with simulation of peacekeeping efforts allows
to exert pressure on Baku and Yerevan.
In fact, the issue must be addressed strategically in two ways. It
is necessary to promote Karabakh problem to the problem of entire
Islamic world on the model of Palestine. This requires to start a
program of consistent limiting relations with Israel.
On the other hand, this requites development of theme of the
Confederation of the Greater Caucasus (without specifying its future
borders, but with the exception of any territorial claims against
Iran and Turkey). The Confederation of the Greater Caucasus as a new
element of Islamic political space in the future post-crisis world is
the way to a radical resolution of, first of all, the Armenian issue
in the region, without which you can not solve the Karabakh problem.
Q: The issue of teaching religion in schools has been raised in Russia
and Azerbaijan on numerous occasions. Is this subject is necessary
in general schools and how then it should be taught?
A: I am against state’s undertaking prerogative to teach and interpret
the religion. This is not up the education ministry.
Q: We know that you have excellent understanding of the internal
situation in Iran as once you were friendly with Ahmad, the son of
Ayatollah Khomeini and you regularly visited Iran and shot a film
about this country. How can you describe the latest developments in
Iran? I mean the scandalous election of Ahmadinejad and the thousands
for rallies of people unhappy with election results among which there
were many local Azerbaijanis.
A: As far as I know, the unrest in Iran was caused by noisy disgruntled
minority. The poor, the disadvantaged sectors of the city, veterans and
families of martyrs who support Ahmadinejad constitute 68 percent. I do
not rule out the possibility of provoking a civil war, but the liberals
will lose it, which obviously American patrons do not understand it.
Q: The events that we have recently witnessed in the north-west of
China, in Urumqi are mainly described as confrontation between of
ethnic Uighurs and Chinese. Does religious factor play role in this
matter? I mean ethnic groups who worship different religions.
A: Events in China are provoked by Americans in a bid to cause tension
in the relations of China and Turkey which patronizes Uighurs. This
is done to encourage China to Iran and thereby weaken the prospects
for the Iran-Turkey union and on the other hand to create a military
bloc based on SCO which would motivate NATO and would replace the
missing Warsaw Pact.
Of course, Uighurs are only element of the strategy. Another element
is the reformatting Japan as a military partner of India and Australia
and the creation of a large anti-China bloc as NATO partner in the
Pacific Ocean.
/Day.Az/