INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ‘SHOULD RAISE KARABAKH ISSUE’
News.az
March 16 2010
Azerbaijan
An Azerbaijani MP has criticized coverage of the Karabakh conflict
by Radio Liberty and called on international media to report on
the conflict.
Azerbaijani media, including 1news.az, a while ago commented that Radio
Azadlig, the Azerbaijani service of Radio Liberty, is too politically
committed on Karabakh, while Radio Liberty’s Armenian service actively
protects the interests of the Armenian state on the issue.
‘Armenia has probably set as its goals keeping on the agenda such
issues as propaganda of the Armenian position on resolution of the
Karabakh conflict alongside local issues,’ Zahid Oruj told 1news.az
today.
He said that Azerbaijani journalism was too involved in Azerbaijani
politics.
‘This is also due to the people who work there. I do not want to
criticize our national journalism due to this issue but one of the
problems of our lagging behind Armenians is that our journalism is
extremely politicized and sympathies and antipathies are split. Most
energy goes into the internal struggle,’ the deputy said.
He said that protection of the Azerbaijani position by media such
as Radio Liberty, the BBC and Voice of America would open more
opportunities for Azerbaijan.
‘Certainly, every information source is independent and we cannot tell
them what to do. But it is necessary to inform the world community
about the continued occupation of Azerbaijani land by Armenians.
Concentration only on the domestic struggle does not meet state
interests. These structures could neutralize the negative instances
against them by raising the issue of the Karabakh conflict. But it is
possible to say that political struggle occupies most of their time,’
he said.
The BBC, Radio Liberty and Voice of America have been off air in
Azerbaijan since 1 January 2009, when new regulations banning foreign
broadcasters came into force.