news.am, Armenia
Feb 6 2010

Euronews wonders whether Aliyev thinks he is a king

15:33 / 02/06/2010After hullabaloo and fuss made by Azerbaijani side
over Euronews `Winds of change in Nagorno-Karabakh’ film, TV channel
leadership had to shoot another film `Forgotten victims of frozen
conflict’ about Azerbaijani refugees and make an interview with
President Ilham Aliyev in order to get rid of unceasing accusations.

However, Azerbaijani president did not manage to get out of a scrape
of European journalists’ hawk eye and vexed questions.

Commenting on the remark that he (according to some opinions) runs the
country like a post-Soviet dictatorship, Aliyev underlined that these
statements `are insulting’.

`Sometimes we become the subject for very unjustified and very biased
critical attacks, in the international media, in so-called
international human rights groups. These attempts to present
Azerbaijan as undemocratic are absolutely unacceptable. We understand
that as Azerbaijan’s importance is growing, the attempts to influence
Azerbaijan are growing from various parts of the world,’ Azerbaijani
President told Euronews, allegedly having in mind Norwegian Helsinki
committee or numerous PACE reports about violation of rights in
Azerbaijan.

In response to Azerbaijan’s `growing importance’ the journalists asked
`What about those who say that the opposition in Azerbaijan doesn’t
stand a fair chance, and that a lot of your opponents have been
silenced?’

However, Azerbaijani President said that `If opposition in Azerbaijan
is weak, it’s not our fault. And I can tell you now why opposition is
now in a very disastrous situation the people of Azerbaijan are living
better and better.’

In his turn the journalist recalled about change in the constitution,
which abolished presidential term limits. `Do you want to remain in
office indefinitely?’ he wondered.

`Well, that was not made for any kind of personal reasons. This
practice exists in many countries,’ the President replied.

Here, Aliyev made a balk and brought an example of a state headed by a
king where premier can be elected for 5 terms on end.

The journalist seemed to be surprised and even shocked asking `You
don’t consider yourself as a king, do you?’ Thereafter, realizing the
absurdity of his words, Aliyev tried to run away from facts `No, no. I
consider myself as the head of the executive branch, which is, in the
cases of your countries, the prime minister, who can be elected many
times. So why people should be deprived of this right? If they have a
choice, if they have a chance to choose.’

`If¦.,’ the journalist wondered. Trying to find the wayout, Azeri
President underlined, `We do not interfere in the internal issues of
your countries, though there are a lot of things which we can not
like, we can oppose, and we can consider being ridiculous. But we
never tell that.’ Asked to bring any example, Aliyev (failing to find
an answer) continued, `That’s because we never tell that. We behave in
a very delicate manner. Internal issues of a country, its traditions,
its history, its political system, its attitude to its national
leaders must be left for the people of that country to decide.’

Finally, journalist’s remark on the fact Azerbaijan is a member of the
Council of Europe, infuriated President. `If somebody wants to use
this factor in order to achieve something, we will not allow it!’ he
concluded.