AZERBAIJANI STUDENT GIVES FACT-BASED ANSWERS TO SEPARATISTS IN ARMENIAN-ORGANIZED EVENT "MONUMENTS IN NAKHCHIVAN" IN US
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 2 2007
Armenian Diaspora yesterday organized separatist debates on "Monuments
in Nakhchivan" in Harvard University.
The only Azerbaijani in the debates, master at Harvard University
Kennedy School of Government:, Bakhtiyar Hajiyev told APA that the
event was financed by Armenian Research Center in the US and an
Armenian company in Canada. Professor of Harvard University for
Armenian research, Armenian Dr. James R. Russel made a keynote
speech. Making "his remarks" on etymology of Nakhchivan he claimed
that "Over 30,000 Armenian monuments were destroyed". Armenian Agram
Ayvaziyan and Steven Sim from Scotland also claimed that "There are
a lot of cultural monuments in Nakhchivan, like in other regions
of Armenia".
Ayvaziyan said they even prepared six-seven volume book about
Nakhchivan’s history and lead the film shootings.
The territory of Nagorno Karabakh was shown as Nagorno Karabakh
Republic on the map on the screen and marked with different color.
The territory of Nakhchivan is marked red. The participants even
showed historical Azerbaijani monuments recognized by the world as
Momune Khatun, Khudaferin bridge as Armenian monuments.
"They said Azerbaijan misappropriated these monuments and tries to
include them into the list of UNESCO cultural heritage. Armenians
became so angry that they even demanded resignation of UNESCO Secretary
General and expressed their discontent that the world community does
not react to them," he said.
Steven Sim from Scotland was called "the person who last witnessed the
monuments in Nakhchivan". The Armenian, nervous about the brotherhood
of Turkey and Azerbaijan, said that he had taken photos of the
establishments of strategic importance.
"Following this, he began to show the ram-like figures as Armenian
monuments. There was writing in Arabic on one of the figures. I asked
when Armenians used Arabic alphabet. Confused with the question,
Sim said he also took the photos of Azerbaijani and Seljuk monuments
when he was in Nakhchivan and this photo was mistakenly copied to the
disc. He confessed that these figures do not belong to Armenians,"
he said.
Our compatriot, who wanted to express his position, met with Armenians’
severe reaction. Bakhtiyar Hajiyev said he tolerated two-hour speeches
of Armenians and regretted that they were not polite enough to listen
to him for two minutes.
"What culture are you speaking about, if you can not do it? I asked
them. Harvard University Davis Center was one of the organizers of
the event, and as the student of the university I have the right to
express my position and ask a question. Only after that, the presenter
of the event spoke with Ayvaziyan and said: "Please, express your
opinion briefly, ask your short question. I have the right interrupt
you in any time," he said.
I mentioned Armenian youth’s speech on forgetting Nagorno Karabakh
conflict and Nakhchivan’s being related to Armenia in one of
international events several years ago and stated that we know
that these events are held purposely. I said that it is not first
time that Armenians present several issues and areas not concerning
them as their own. They steal our meals, musical instruments, songs,
everything. Then I showed the auditory article published in "V Novom
Svete" newspaper" in New York and children’s photos there as the
last sample of Armenian falsification. Though these are Azerbaijani
children’s photos killed during Khojaly genocide, they presented it
as the photos of the children killed during the so-called Armenian
genocide and underlined that though our Diaspora and Embassy appealed,
newspaper leadership did not refute regarding these photos.
When I started to speak about massacres committed by Armenians in
Khojaly they protested again, but I asked Russell why he spreads false
information as a professor of Harvard University using his image,
why academician directs people to false side?
Russell thought that I intended something about historical facts when
I said "false information" and said "I am historian, not political
figure. There is a history in everything I present, is not it so?"
"Nagorno Karabakh Republic" was written in the map you used. And
you pretended that this map concerned B.C.. Was there any Nagorno
Karabakh Republic B.C.? Is it a historical fact? There was not country
named Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the history and it will never be,"
I replied.
Noise started in the salon again. Steven Sim calmed auditory and asked
"Do you admit your country leadership’s destructing Armenian monuments
in Nakhchivan as a student and clever person?"
"As a clever man I prefer information source. If professor who took a
photo of prohibited buildings, violates rules of the country he visits
and speaks proudly in front of such auditory says it, naturally I
can not believe to what he said. If you want to know our country’s
position and historical facts, I can give you information covers
prepared by Azerbaijani Embassy in America and Foreign Ministry,"
I said that and distributed covers to participants.
I got acquainted with a youth who stated that he is a journalist at
the beginning of the meeting. I asked him to send me photos they took
in the meeting. I wanted to give my e-mail address to that boy. But
the boy "don’t you see that I work for Armenian newspaper? Why did
you do it? You came here to spoil everything, did not you?" said and
moved to tears. I asked whether he will send photos or not and he
started to cry.
Hajiyev stated that official opening of the exhibition will be held
today. We will also react in any form when Azerbaijani students
studying in Boston will negotiate with Davis Center where the
exhibition will be held.
Hajiyev also mentioned that Armenians started their propagations on
the so-called Armenian genocide in academic circles, Universities.
"Then this issue was debated in the level of Foreign Affairs Committee
of the Congress. Most of the teachers of Harvard University gave
directions to people in Congress and representatives of White House,
state representatives in various themes. Armenians try to contact
with influential professors. Therefore we should start investigation
programs regarding Azerbaijan in such Universities, have intercourse
with these Universities, and achieve our students’ to study in such
Universities," he said.