MEETING OF COORDINATION COUNCIL OF WORLD AZERBAIJANI AND TURKISH DIASPORA ORGANIZATIONS ENDS IN BERLIN
Azeri Press Agency
March 28 2008
Azerbaijan
Berlin-APA. The meeting of the Coordination Council of World
Azerbaijani and Turkish Diaspora Organizations ended in Berlin. Press
service of the State Committee on Work with Azerbaijanis Living Abroad
told APA that the chairman of the committee Nazim Ibrahimov made a
speech on "The role of Diasporas in the development of the relations
among Turkish-speaking states".
He said that the discussions covered the most important targets lying
ahead of Azerbaijani and Turkish Diaspora organizations. Nazim
Ibrahimov underlined that Azerbaijani and Turkish Diaspora
organizations were contributing to the development of the relations
among the Turkish-speaking states.
"First steps are being taken to establish the Parliamentary Assembly of
the Turkish-speaking countries, the issue on setting up the Summits’
secretariat of heads of governments and states of Turkish-speaking
countries is one of the contributions to the cooperation among
Azerbaijani and Turkish Diaspora organizations," he said.
Chief of the President’s Office socio-political department Ali Hasanov
said that the main issue was the activeness of Diaspora members in
all spheres.
"Diaspora organizations participate in all socio-political,
humanitarian events, including the events on the state level and
increase their importance," he said.
Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Azerbaijan to Germany
Parviz Shahbazov mentioned that the meeting coincided with the
opening of Azerbaijani Year in Germany. According to the ambassador,
the coincidence of the two events allows the members of Azerbaijani
and Turkish Diasporas to get acquainted with the classic and rich
examples of Azerbaijani culture.
President of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, chairman of the
Management Board of World Azerbaijanis’ Coordination Council Mahmud
Karimov said that there was a need to use new means of propaganda
to prevent the propaganda of Armenian Diaspora and Armenian genocide
claims, as well as to inform the international community of Azerbaijani
and Turkish truths. Mahmud Karimov said it was important to establish a
common Turkish language, it could accelerate the process of integration
and ground the establishment of unique Turkish television that would
be transmitted in all the Turkish-speaking states.
Azerbaijani parliamentarian Ganira Pashayeva made speech on "The role
of our Diasporas in the solution of common problems". She said that
all the Diaspora members should know the common problems to reach
more productive results of joint activity of Azerbaijani and Turkish
Diaspora organizations. The parliamentarian offered to prepare a
book covering common problems, translate it into various languages
and distribute among the Diaspora organizations.
President of Assembly of Turkish American Associations Nurten Ural said
the cooperation between Azerbaijani and Turkish Diaspora organizations
in America worried the Armenian Diaspora.
Tomris Azeri, president of Azerbaijan Society of America, also said
the present results of the joint activity of Azerbaijani and Turkish
Diaspora organizations worried the Armenians. Tomris Azeri spoke about
the importance of US Azeris Network and said the Diaspora members
immediately receive information about all necessary documents and
events through the network.
Speaking about the establishment of unique Turkish television Nizami
Jafarov said it was important for establishing the ideological bases
of the Turkish unity. The parliamentarian said the television should
be financed at the expenditure of Turkish-speaking countries’ budget.
He noted that it would be expedient to base the main office of the
television in Istanbul, but the television should have representations
in all the Turkish-speaking countries.
Chairman of Benelux Azerbaijanis’ Congress Sahil Gasimli said it was
planned to open a second Sunday School and establish the Azeri-language
radio in the Netherlands. The radio is planned to broadcast programs
in English, Dutch and other languages.
Decision was made to establish 9-member Management Board of the
he Coordination Council of World Azerbaijani and Turkish Diaspora
Organizations. The Council will also have a secretariat and this
structure will be located in a European country.
Berlin Declaration was adopted at the end of the meeting. According to
the declaration, the Coordination Council welcomed the initiative on
establishing Azerbaijan-Turkey Interparliamentary Assembly put forth in
the 11th Friendship, Brotherhood, and Cooperation Congress of Turkic
States and Communities, supported the idea of establishing Summits’
secretariat of heads of states of Turkish-speaking countries and called
on the governments of Turkish-speaking countries to take the related
measures for its implementation. The document also supported the
decision of the 11th Friendship, Brotherhood, and Cooperation Congress
of Turkic States and Communities on establishing unique television
of the Turkish-speaking countries. The document offers to determine
a related strategy for promoting truths of Azerbaijan and Turkey
basing on the proposals of the Coordination Council members, to hold
a joint forum of Azerbaijani and Turkish businessmen living in foreign
countries in line with "The strategy of Joint Activity of Azerbaijani
and Turkish Diaspora organizations", ensure establishment of Advisory
Council, to mobilize activity of Azerbaijani and Turkish communities
for the implementation of the decision passed at the 11th Friendship,
Brotherhood, and Cooperation Congress of Turkic States and Communities
on establishing a museum demonstrating the history and culture of
Turkish-speaking peoples and carry out the activities related to the
"Strategy of Joint Activity" in order to defend the rights of Iraqi
Turkmen and attract the attention of the international community to
the solution of the problems of repatriation of Ahiska Turks.
Another document adopted at the meeting of the Coordination Council of
World Azerbaijani and Turkish Diaspora Organizations is the statement
on the 90th anniversary of the genocide of Azerbaijanis on March 31,
1918. The Coordination Council once more appeals to the international
community calling to condemn terrorist and genocide acts committed
by Armenian nationalists against Turkish peoples and especially
Azerbaijanis, and calls the international organizations and world
countries to give unbiased assessment to the developments.
Members of the Coordination Council of World Azerbaijani and Turkish
Diaspora Organizations appealed to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
and President of Turkey Abdullah Gul.
Following this, "Gobustan" International Award on the results
of 2007 was presented. The awards were presented to president of
Assembly of Turkish American Associations Nurten Ural, president of
Azerbaijan Society of America Tomris Azeri and director of Norwegian
Institute of Research of Turkish-speaking countries’ history Sefa
Martin Yurukel. Azerbaijani embassy in Germany, Turkish-Azerbaijani
Culture Circle in the Netherlands, Congress of European Azerbaijanis,
European representation of Iraqi Turkmen Front, Circles Federation of
Ahiska Turks and Cultural Center of Georgian Azerbaijanis are among
the awarded bodies.
"Sari gelin" compact disk prepared on the initiative of the Congress
of European Azerbaijanis was presented at the end of the meeting.
The Coordination Council of World Azerbaijani and Turkish Diaspora
Organizations was set up in the first Forum of heads of Azerbaijani
and Turkish Diaspora organizations. The Coordination Council set up
to coordinate the activity of Azerbaijani and Turkish communities
has 101 members.