AZERBAIJAN’S WISHFUL THINKING
GNOM.ES
Oct 10 2012
Chicago, IL
SOURCE: Consulate General of the Republic of Armenia in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 10, 2012 /NEWS.GNOM.ES/ – The following article is
being released by Lilit Sedrakyan, Press and Public Affairs Officer,
Consulate General of the Republic of Armenia in Los Angeles:
Azerbaijan, a country with no expatriate community or economic
interests in the West US, established a consulate in Los Angeles a few
years ago to wage war on Armenian-Americans. In order to fight this
sizeable segment of the US West Coast community, Azerbaijan employs
tactics of malicious propaganda, such as the recently placed article,
“Armenia Has Lost the War”. Signed by the Azeri Consul General,
the article made its public appearance on account of the efforts of
high-priced public relation firms and lobbyists.
Armenia and Armenians have been victim to soiled campaigns funded
by Azerbaijan’s government since the breakdown of the Soviet Union
where several sovereign countries emerged-including Azerbaijan
and the Republic of Artsakh. Azerbaijan, rich in oil, attempted to
prevent the people of Artsakh from becoming independent and sent
troops and warplanes to crack down on civilians. In recent years,
this has become a familiar pattern where people take their destiny
in their own hands and defy the tyrants who ruthlessly order death
squads against school children and helpless elderly.
The people of Artsakh paid a high price for their independence,
but won their right to elect their own democratic institutions
and raise their children in a free country. The generation living,
working and advancing Artsakh today is 21 years old and has not seen
Soviet- Azeri occupation. And this generation will never tolerate
living under Azerbaijan’s rule with its despotic hereditary regime,
medieval hate speech and repugnant racism.
The article mocks the international community – the OSCE’s Minsk Group,
co-chaired by France, Russia and the United States and places the onus
for the failure to achieve progress on Armenia. The mediation has not
resulted in a breakthrough solution yet – but uniquely because of
Azerbaijan. The current compromise solution presented by the Minsk
group is acceptable by Armenia, while Azerbaijan refuses it even
after several modifications to meet its intransigence.
Quoting some dubious statistics meant to testify to Armenia’s
vulnerability, the Azeri Consul fails to understand the fundamental
root of Armenia’s strength. Due to our harrowing history, we have
long become a global nation with a global footprint. Our families are
scattered around the world and have global stakes. We remain connected
to our homeland with strong bonds and solid relationships. We live
with our country through problems and successes to such an extent
that Armenia’s issues, including Artsakh’s “frozen conflict” with
Azerbaijan, often become domestic issues in third countries.
There should be an attempt on the part of Azerbaijan to overcome its
pathological arrogance and understand that in the face of threats,
Armenians around the world will mobilize and stand united -from
besieged Aleppo to laidback Sao Paolo. The Consulate of Armenia
works with the community, day-in, day out and has witnessed this
strength and allegiance first hand. This was the case 21 years ago,
too, when the people of Artsakh righteously fought for independence.
The Azeri government sees the source of its supremacy over Armenia
in Azerbaijan’s oil reserves. Oil is a blessing for any country
with responsible governance and civil society. For Azerbaijan, it
is a curse! The resources are single-handedly managed by the Aliev
Dynasty and little goes into the physical and human infrastructure of
the country. Hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijani citizens live in
substandard conditions, but the government spends tens of millions
of dollars to awkwardly promote its international prestige. The
Azeri leadership’s unbridled frenzy to buy itself an improved image
invariably results in embarrassing situations.
War is in no one’s interest. The people of Azerbaijan should not be
fooled by the perceived sense of prosperity and military might. They
should not be blinded by hate speech and racism. They should not
accept militaristic actions of their government-a government that
pardons and glorifies a heinous murderer who beheaded his fellow
Armenian student in his sleep at a NATO training seminar.
Armenia will continue to depend on its grassroots and build on its only
comparative advantage – its people and its desire to build a viable and
democratic state. We, in Armenia and all around the world, only hope
that Azerbaijan will review its assessment of Armenia’s potential and
actual strength, thus sparing us all more bloodshed and destruction.
http://news.gnom.es/pr/azerbaijans-wishful-thinking