Azerbaijani political scientist: Authorities accuse opponents of
sympathy for Armenians but talk about public diplomacy

16:00 28/09/2013 » REGION

Azerbaijani Ambassador to Russia Polad Bulbul oglu stated that they
need to “continue looking for common ground between Armenians and
Azerbaijanis”, while alike statements of the screenwriter Rustam
Ibrahimbekov had caused a storm of criticism among the authorities,
says Azerbaijani news portal “Minval.az.”

“Why double standards are used between Ibrahimbekov and Bulbul oglu?”
asks the author of the article.

According to the Azerbaijani political analyst Zafar Guliyev, the
ambassador’s statements are certainly agreed with the authorities. “As
an official, he is allowed to voice such thoughts from time to time.
You can also remember that in previous years he often was engaged in
“people’s diplomacy” games which were periodically organized by the
official circles either of Azerbaijan or Armenia. I am positive about
the possibilities of the public diplomacy if they are initiated by the
people, public officials. However, it is not effective when these
games are held by the power structures,” the expert said.

As for the double standards, if an independent public member,
intellectual or oppositionist expresses such an idea and not an
official, he is immediately accused of pro-Armenian views, Guliyev
believes. “A good example is Rustam Ibrahimbekov, who speaking about
the same possibilities of public diplomacy, peace negotiations and
peaceful solution of the problem, etc.,’ he said.

According to Guliyev, this situation is explained by the fact that
since Heydar Aliyev’s times the Karabakh problem has been monopolized
by the highest circles of the power, and even within the government
itself only specific individuals could talk about the Karabakh
problem. He believes that any reasoning expressed on this issue is
immediately subjected to unwarranted criticism unless it is agreed
with the authorities. Political analyst also noted that the double
standards often appear within the country.

“The real opposition is accused of being close to the Armenians. There
are some facts that Isa Gambar was meeting with the leaders of the
Democratic Party of Armenia. We can see a continuous controversy.
Azerbaijani Ambassador Polad Bulbul oglu speaks on the necessity of
establishing good relations, close contacts between the intellectuals
of the two countries, while in the same time the image of the enemy,
which is Armenia, is being inculcated and any contact with them are
reprehensible,” Guliyev said.

He added that for many years Azerbaijani authorities put forward
farfetched facts against their political opponents concerning their
pro-Armenian relations and sympathy for him. “In this regard, the
ruling power constantly exposes itself and shows that their periodic
game in public diplomacy and this kind of statements of the ambassador
mean nothing. Azerbaijan’s public is already used to these
contradictions,” concluded the Azerbaijani expert.

Source: Panorama.am

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress