US AZERBAIJANIS SHOULD UNITE TO COMPETE WITH ARMENIAN DIASPORA
news.az
May 17 2010
Azerbaijan
Ali Nasibov News.Az interviews Ali Nasibov, chairman of the Association
of New York Azerbaijanis (ANA).
Do the Azerbaijani diaspora organizations maintain relations in the
United States and what is done to inform more people in this country
about Azerbaijan?
There are natural obstacles for a closer cooperation between our
diaspora organizations. This obstacle is the geographic distance
between us. Therefore, I have always proposed creation of a federation
or confederation of the diaspora organizations of Azerbaijanis
in Washington near the Azerbaijani embassy. The need for such a
federation has been caused by the need of our unification, as each
of the diaspora organizations is functioning in separate. Therefore,
this requires coordination and regulation of our diaspora organizations
in the United States to be of use to Azerbaijan. When each of these
organizations is working in separate, then there are no contacts
between us which impedes the implantation of the lobbyist activity. I
expect the State Committee for Diaspora to provide support to the
settlement of these issues. The State Committee should initiate
creation of a federation or association in order to unite the diaspora
organizations of Azerbaijanis in the United States. In this case,
the diaspora organizations of Azerbaijanis in the United States will
be able to get a single setting for the activity in Baku.
Why did some diaspora organizations of Azerbaijanis in the United
States refuse to unite in a single structure?
I think all our diaspora organizations in the United States want to
unite. As I have already mentioned, the distance between our hampers
our unification. For example, the time gap between New York and
California is 7-8 hours which makes our ties difficult. Therefore, a
single structure would unite our organization. For example, we organize
an action outside the Armenian office in UN on February 26 every year,
but our diaspora organizations in California are not aware of this
year because the time gap between us is that when it is morning here,
it is night there. Meanwhile, the single structure will help coordinate
our actions and ensure joint participation in the conducted events.
Do the Azerbaijani and Turkish diaspora organizations maintain
cooperation?
The organization I head is closely cooperating with the Turkish
diaspora organizations. There is a federation in New York which united
38 Turkish diaspora associations. We are taking an active part in
their annual Turkish marches. Along with this, our organizations
are taking a joint part in the annual actions against fictional
"Armenian genocide" they held every year in the center of New York
in Time square. These events show that the joint activity of the
organizations brings much effect.
Are the accusations of some Turkish mass media regarding Azerbaijanis
which say they are passive in discussions of the resolutions on
"Armenian genocide" in the US congress founded?
False information is spread in a number of cases in Turkey, because
we in New York are working together with the Turkish diaspora
organizations. These organizations have declared that the number of
Azerbaijanis partaking in the last year action against "genocide"
exceeded the number of those who come from Turkey. They said there
were 21 Azerbaijani and 17 Turkish flags in that action. However,
the reports about the absence of Azerbaijanis in that action spread
in Turkey.
How do Turks residing in the United States treat the possible opening
of the Turkish-Armenian border?
I would like to note that Turks residing in the United States agree
that the opening of borders must follow the liberation of occupied
Azerbaijani lands. Turks also agree that Turkey must provide every
assistance to Azerbaijan in the Karabakh conflict settlement which
is proven by discussions organized in the said topics on the internet
radio we have opened in the United States.
Do you think the activity of the Azerbaijani diaspora is satisfactory?
I would like to note that the Azerbaijani diaspora in the United States
has 20-year history, while the Armenian diaspora in the United States
has a history of over 200 years.
The history of the Azerbaijani diaspora in the United States should
not include the part that was organized from among those who left
from Germany to Turkey and then to New Jersey upon completion of
the World War Second. They have a small community in which they have
recently marked their 50th anniversary. I would like to repeat that
the coordinated activity demands participation of the Azerbaijani
state. I mean that the program of the united Azerbaijani organization
in case of its creation must be coordinated with Azerbaijan. Issues
envisioning united activity which will be useful for the Azerbaijani
state must also be coordinated with Baku.
Might Baku interference in the affairs of the Azerbaijani diaspora
in US cause a split?
Even members of a family have different views on some issues. This
may happen. Everything depends on the level and outlook of the people
represented in these organizations. For example, a Shusha native
wants to conduct the Day of Shusha, while another stresses the need
to raise the Karabakh problem. Therefore, the availability of the
single program will have a wider effect.
Which work do the Azerbaijani diaspora organizations hold to intensify
their activity in the sociopolitical life of the United States, for
the purpose of nominating candidates from among diaspora organizations
for elections or support to any candidate?
Under the US laws, every organization or a person can transfer funds
to the account of a candidate for the Congress members in period of
the election campaign. In this regard, our diaspora organizations
could ensure this support for the candidates to further have an
opportunity to ask them to support Azerbaijan. This is what Jews and
Armenians are doing. In conditions of unity among the Azerbaijani
diaspora organizations, it is possible to gain success in bringing
use to Azerbaijan. However, the small number of our organizations on
the one hand and the absence of unity among them, on the other hand,
hamper the achievement of greater results in Azerbaijan’s favor.
In addition, there have already been the examples of nomination of
Azerbaijani candidacies for elections. For example, Azerbaijani by
ethnic, business Paul Murad has nominated his candidacy for the
post of Nevada governor. By nominating his candidacy, he expects
our support. Our organization was among those who provided material
assistance to him. All these processes are just on the start. At the
same time, we should take into account that people who have recently
moved from Azerbaijan to the United States have language barriers
and problems of adaptation in a new society.
Meanwhile, there will naturally be the candidates for Congress and the
Senate from among those next generations who study in the United States
and are integrated in the society. In these conditions, the diaspora
organizations will have to provide their assistance. For example,
if there was unity among our diaspora organizations, they would have
united to support Paul Murad. In turn, in case elected, Murad could
have provided assistance to other Azerbaijanis. The creation of this
system is our aim to ensure representation of Azerbaijanis in the US
executive and legislative powers.
I would also like to note that Azerbaijan has recently been conducting
a very serious work in involving US Congressmen to the US-Azerbaijani
group. The number of congressmen represented in this group is growing
and they will further provide assistance to promote Azerbaijan’s
interests.
How active is the Armenian diaspora in the United States and what is
being done to resist their activity?
I cannot say that the Armenian diaspora is too strong. Certainly, it
is stronger than ours but weaker than the Jewish diaspora. There are
many wealthy people among the representatives of the Armenian diaspora
and they have an opportunity to hold a marathon to collect funds for
Karabakh separatists by means of the US TV channel within a day.
Certainly, people watching it will consider that the Armenian diaspora
is active, but in fact, they are not so strong.