Today, Azerbaijan
Feb 13 2010

U.S. Azeris Network Executive Director: We should thank Armenian lobby
for making Turkish diaspora stronger

13 February 2010 [11:36] – Today.Az

`Statements by the Armenian lobby and plans of the Committee on
Foreign Relations of U.S. House of Representatives are not surprising.
Even if the protocols are ratified by the parliaments of Turkey and
Armenia, the Armenian lobby will still be forcing some members of
Congress to put some sort of resolution to a vote in subcommittees,
committees and plenary sessions. The Armenian lobby cannot stop doing
it because this kind of resolution is culmination of all their
efforts,’ Adil Bagirov, candidate of political sciences, the U.S.
Azeris Network Executive Director said.

`Of course, the Committee on Foreign Relations may adopt this
resolution. The Committee adopted a similar resolution in Oct. 2007.
The U.S. will hold midterm elections next November. The Armenian
diaspora promises its vote, financial input for the congressmen who
would back their resolution. The chairman of a committee from the
State of California also helps the Armenian lobby. If Armenians try
hard, the resolution may even pass one chamber of Congress, as the
Jewish lobby will not try to stop the Armenian lobby because of the
known problems with the ruling AKP in Turkey and the ruling coalition
in Israel which worsened last year.’

`However, over the past year, Turkish-Americans, as well as the
Turkish government, were able to strengthen its lobby both through
developig its diaspora and by hiring more powerful lobbying firms.
It’s no secret that success in the U.S. political arena requires
several instruments, including the hiring of professional lobbyists
which is much cheaper. It is not surprising that almost all
"favorites" countries of the of the Congress such as Taiwan, India,
Korea, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Japan, the Netherlands, even Canada, the
United Kingdom and the EU spend millions annually on lobbying the U.S.
Congress,’ Bagirov added.

`Apart from historical and moral reasons for which Azerbaijan and
Azerbaijanis do not agree with the view of the Armenian lobby, one
should not forget about economic and geostrategic ones. The more the
Armenian lobby is engaged in unsuccessful promoting such resolution,
the less money, time and energy it will have for other more important
issues and projects. It would be difficult to Azerbaijan and Turkey if
the Armenian lobby would not be spending a mere 70 percent of its
resources on the resolution, but on something else. Also, if it had
not been for such resolutions, there would be less interest in the
history of Turkey and Azerbaijan,’ Bagirov noted.

`Armenia succeeds to maintain good relations with Russia, the U.S.,
Iran Israel, India,China, Arab countries and Europe, the Turkic states
of Central Asia and even with Turkey to some degree. If it were not
for these resolutions, Turkey still would not have broadcasts of
public radio and TV soon in Eastern Armenian language (official
language of Armenia), there would be no chairs in Armenian language
and history in Turkish universities, there would be no historical
research and publications, as well as consolidation of the Turkic
diaspora and joint resistance against the Armenian propaganda. So, one
should thank the Armenian lobby for such unforeseen and unintended
effect of strengthening, professionalizing and consolidation of the
Turkic peoples, communities, diaspora and lobby,’ Bagirov said.

T. Teymur

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