DIPLOMATIC ORDER: OPPOSITION, GET READY FOR EUROVISION!
Yeni Azarbaycan
April 27 2012
Azerbaijan
Dilemma of goal and means
The first chancellor of the German empire, or the “second Reich”, Otto
von Bismarck knew no borders in politics and believed that in order
to achieve his goals a politician can use any means available. Great
Russian writer Sergey Turgenev was categorically against this as he
wrote: “Some hypocrites claim that any means are good to reach a goal.
This is wrong. It does not befit a person to enter a pure temple with
feet that have the dirt of the road on them”.
Indeed, Adolph Hitler who followed the maxim “the end justifies
the means” believed that it is worth letting the blood of millions
of innocents to flow in order to secure the supremacy of the German
nation. Konrad Adenauer, who believed the opposite, spent all of his
efforts to save the German people from the moral collapse which was
one of the results of Hitler’s fascism.
It is clear that both in ordinary life and in politics not every
means is suitable to achieve the ends. Looking at the matter from
the prism of relations between the opposition and the authorities,
it can be said with certainty that in modern times in countries that
develop on the democracy path, including in Azerbaijan, the way to
come to power is not through the money bags of foreign powers and
their political support, but through the will of the people and the
votes of the electorate.
It is a fact that for many years the destructive opposition in
Azerbaijan has been trying to realize its political ambitions via
anti-national methods. Hysterical statements, speeches, authorized
or illegal actions all serve one goal: to attract the attention
of the foreign anti-Azerbaijani circles and use their backing to
achieve their wishes. Encouraged by the government changes in Arabic
countries, the organization called “Public Chamber” staged rallies on
8 and 22 April to present the radical opposition as a power centre and
confirm their existence before foreign sponsors. Slogans in foreign
languages plainly showed that these rallies were addressed not to
the Azerbaijani people, but to the outside audience. Experts believe
that the 22 April rally was the decisive action for the allocation
of funds from abroad for the radical opposition. In their opinion,
foreign sponsors were distressed by the fact that the rally was much
weaker than expected, with only 1200 – 1300 people attending, and
especially since the young people did not join it. Indeed, on both
occasions members of the Public Chamber, functionaries of the Musavat
Party and PFAP [People’s Front of Azerbaijan Party], party activists
and their family members turned up. The press even wrote rhetorically
that the number of journalists who came to cover the event was bigger
than the number of demonstrators. It is an indirect proof of this that
foreign ambassadors and embassy officials from the Western countries
gathered on 24 April to meet the leaders of the opposition parties
and pro-opposition NGOs in the headquarters of the Musavat Party.
True, an ordinary citizen who is busy with his life and lives an
ordinary life does not see the activities of the radical opposition,
does not feel their presence in his life and, naturally, has limited
capabilities to assess their political escapade. However, ordinary
citizens upon hearing the words PFAP, Musavat, Isa Qambar and Ali
Karimli see before their eyes the bitter days of the 1990s and do
not wish to link their lives and the future of the country with them
again. Those who more or less follow the politics certainly remember
the troubles Azerbaijan experienced in the end of the past century,
and also sees the developments happening in Egypt, Libya and other
Arab countries with the Western support, and in accordance with
their beliefs give a political assessment of these events and their
destructive ramifications. The main reason why the opposition cannot
gather people to attend its rallies is that citizens do not wish
it to turn from a developing and prospering country to the 1990s or
to another Libya, that they have an extremely negative view of such
attempts. Citizens say unequivocal “No” to the realization of dirty
means, veiled by positive words, through even dirtier means.
Democracy or NABUCCO, economic interests, Islamophobia…
Before speaking about the meeting with foreign diplomats held in the
Musavat Party’s headquarters, let us speak about the reasons for the
recent information war that certain foreign circles, politicians, human
rights organizations and mass media have declared against Azerbaijan.
The recent “love for Azerbaijan” of some Western politicians and
mass media is bound to surprise us. At the session of the Cabinet of
Ministers dedicated to the results of social and economic development
in the first quarter of 2012 and the objectives ahead, President
Ilham Aliyev emphasized the importance of information security and
said: “The dirty campaign against our country over the Eurovision
song contest continues in the media. We know well which powers are
standing behind this campaign. We know well in which country’s mass
media this campaign is stronger. This is a coordinated policy. However,
this policy has no and will have no results”.
The media have already prepared many reports about the danger of
the collapse of plans related to energy projects as a result of the
anti-Azerbaijani hysterics of some circles in the West. Europeans
are trying to implement the NABUCCO project to save them from the
energy dependence on Russia. However, since the main issue is the
one of funding, so far no tangible steps have been taken for the
implementation of NABUCCO and the agreements remained on paper. As
a result, one of the biggest players in the consortium, German RWE
company’s director general, Juergen Grossman, said that since the
project never materialized the company is likely to withdraw from the
consortium. Following this Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said
in a speech in the European Political Centre in Brussels that the MOL
company of Hungary is also preparing to exit NABUCCO. The realization
in parallel of two big Russian projects, Southern Stream and Northern
Stream, and the active involvement of the leading European oil and
gas companies in this projects and the growing dependence on the
“Russian gas needle” of Germany, France and Italy shows openly who
is in fact digging the grave for NABUCCO.
On the other hand, Azerbaijan remains the only country in the South
Caucasus pursuing an independent policy, with Georgia under US control
and Armenia functioning as the forward base of Russia. Independence
is the cornerstone of Azerbaijan’s development and the rise of its
international authority. Independence today allows Azerbaijan to
cooperate on equal footing with other countries, to enter foreign
markets and to openly declare its positions. President Ilham Aliyev
says: “There are forces which do not accept our independent policy.
They are irritated by our policy. They are trying to use new
opportunities to engage in information provocation and disseminate
lies and defamatory information”.
It is owing to its independent policy that Azerbaijan is not turning
into a base for major powers. Naturally, the remarks by President
Ilham Aliyev confirm that these plans indeed exist and that those who
cannot implement these plans are actively taking part in information
provocations against Azerbaijan: “There are forces that want to pit
Azerbaijan against its neighbours… Azerbaijan will never participate
in the plans of other countries. We can never allow our territory to
be used for any negative plans concerning our neighbours and everybody
knows this”. Among these forces, the efforts of the Armenian lobby
and the Islamophobic circles should not be forgotten.
“Win-win” formula and Markus Loning’s “desire to be chancellor”
14 February 2007. A working visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
to Germany. German Chancellor Angela Merkel says that relations between
Azerbaijan and Germany are very important and that cooperation will
be strengthened.
5 February 2010. A working visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
to Germany. German Chancellor Angela Merkel states: “Our economic
relations are at a wonderful level. Our cooperation is close. We
manage to build our cooperation on the ‘win-win’ formula. When I say
this I mean that both sides can benefit from this cooperation.
Azerbaijan is one of our very important partners”.
It seems that Mrs Merkel considers strengthening of cooperation
between Germany and Azerbaijan as a priority in relations with Baku and
even suggests a ready formula. There is no evidence that since then
Azerbaijan has avoided this cooperation. Then how can the following
facts be explained: the recent increase of groundless accusations
levelled against Azerbaijan by German media and politicians; close
contacts with the opposition of Germany’s foundations, such as
Friedrich Naumann, Konrad Adenauer and others; that organizations
like Reporters Without Borders and Human Rights Watch organize
hearings in Berlin on the freedom of speech and media; Kanal Europa
broadcast in Germany will now air “Hour of Azerbaijan” programme;
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle meeting the opposition while
visiting Azerbaijan; the aggressive speeches that German government’s
Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid, Markus
Loning, makes against Azerbaijan; the activity of Christoph Strasser,
the Council of Europe’s rapporteur from Germany on the made-up issue
of “political prisoners” in Azerbaijan; the anti-Azerbaijani moves
of the Green Party of Germany; as well as other facts?
Markus Loning is one of the main organizers of the campaign waged
against Azerbaijan. In August 2011 Loning was remembered by the
harsh remarks he made during the visit to Baku. At the meeting with
opposition members he said that “Germany is always ready to assist
you to make changes in Azerbaijan”.
In keeping with this line, the ombudsman publishes in Der Spiegel
weekly and other German media harsh anti-Azerbaijani materials
and gives interviews. He writes letters to the state officials,
politicians, journalists and musicians who want to travel to Azerbaijan
and invites them to join the campaign being waged against Azerbaijan.
Recently, Mr Loning went even further and claimed that this is all
Germany’s official position. It seems that Mr ombudsman now sees
himself in the German chancellor’s chair.
[Passage omitted: MP from the Green Party meets former Azerbaijani
speaker Rasul Quliyev]
According to reports that we received from the German parliament, a
month ago at the initiative of Cramo and Berg, the Bundestag faction
of the “Greens” sent an inquire on Azerbaijan to the German federal
government. Without going into the details of all issues in the query,
we would like to outline several of them. The questions were formulated
in such a way as if they concerned not relations between the German
and Azerbaijani governments, but those between Berlin and some federal
entity. For example, “What is the situation for homosexual, bisexual
and transsexual people in Azerbaijan?” and “What measures are taken by
the Azerbaijani government for the urgent improvement of the situation
before and during the Eurovision contest?” No need to comment.
On the other hand, the activities of Herbert Quelle, the man in charge
of the official relations between Berlin and Baku, are also difficult
to comprehend. For example, in his piece published by our newspaper,
he says that “it is so good to work and live in a country that loves
Germany and has no negative view of Germany” and “I view with great
optimism the future development of German-Azerbaijani friendship”,
but on the other hand, he promises to Ali Karimli pressure against
Azerbaijan from the Council of Europe and the European Union. During
the 24 April meeting with the opposition of the foreign ambassadors
and embassy officials, Mr Quelle’s special enthusiasm is also hard
to fathom. It is not without reason that Bismarck said it is only
necessary to lift Germany into the saddle – it will certainly be able
to ride.
It is plain to see that the developments are the exactly opposite of
the position of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and consequently,
to the official German policy regarding Azerbaijan. If this is the
case, whom should the Azerbaijani public believe?
Opposition, stand ready for Eurovision!
As shown above, in the Musavat Party headquarters on 24 April diplomats
of the OSCE, EU, USA, Turkey and European countries met the leaders of
the radical opposition parties and some pro-opposition NGOs. Following
the meeting, the chairman of the Musavat party, Isa Qambar, and the
PFAP chairman, Ali Karimli, imparted to the mass media a statement
with no informative content. However, our source in the opposition
said that intense discussion went on for three hours. The public
and political processes under way in Azerbaijan, the results of the
latest rallies, the release of opposition activists who claim to be
“political prisoners”, changes to the law “On political parties”,
the situation with the freedom of speech, rights to property and
other issues were on the agenda of the meeting.
Our source said that opposition leaders said that they have already
staged two authorized rallies and asked for pressure on the Azerbaijani
government so that the 6 May rally is staged in the centre of the
[Baku] city.
Isa Qambar said that their opinion was not sought when changes to
the law “On political parties” and issues related to the funding of
parties were discussed. As a result, the Musavat Party and the PFAP
were left outside the funding. For this reason, Isa Qambar and Ali
Karimli asked foreign diplomats to fund the “Public Chamber” and to
allocate subsidies for the PFAP and the Musavat Party.
Now it becomes clear why during the discussions on amendments to
the law “On political parties” why opposition functionaries were
so vehemently opposed to the transfer of donations to the parties,
to the presentation by parties of financial reports to the relevant
state bodies, and to the publication of this information.
It is interesting that the remark of a representative of the OSCE
office in Baku about the law “On political parties” being in line
with European standards sparked protests from the opposition.
Later they asked the diplomats to step up the pressure on the
Azerbaijani authorities before Eurovision, work on the release of the
imprisoned opposition activities and to adopt a hard hitting resolution
against Azerbaijan during the autumn session of the Council of Europe
and to include in the document support for the opposition.
According to our source, German ambassador Herbert Quelle gave
extremely “valuable advice” to the opposition. First, he said that
he will facilitate the solution of the problem with funding. Then
he suggested reconciling the “Public Chamber” with the Open Society
Party, led by Rasul Quliyev. Quelle said he wishes for the alliance
of Ali-Isa-Rasul.
Ambassador Quelle’s remarks about events that may unfold during
Eurovision cannot fail to attract attention. The ambassador urged
Public Chamber’s officials to be ready for any processes that may
unfold during the competition and to be ahead of these processes.
It seems that this meeting’s objective was for the diplomats to
encourage and instruct the opposition.
Naturally, Quelle knows well what processes he refers and what he
means when he tells the Public Chamber to be ready. However, if this
about taking part in the competition, let us remind the ambassador
that Ali Karimli and Isa Qambar displayed their vocal skills on the
ground of the driving school in Sector 20 on 22 April and even the
demonstrators did not take a fancy to their voices.
It was US President Barack Obama’s remarks that could serve as
a reminder for Ambassador Quelle about the Vienna Convention on
Diplomatic Relations: “Politics has become so bitter and partisan,
so gummed up by money and influence that we can’t tackle the big
problems that demand solutions”.
However, it is Obama’s luck that he is the leader of the super power
and nobody dares to meddle into his affairs or the affairs of the USA.
Even when the OSCE observation mission wanted to monitor the US
elections they were “respectfully” shown the door.
Therefore, some believe that they may or that it is indeed their
“right” to meddle in the affairs of small states, bring them under
their influence and direct them. However, the system of international
relations and diplomatic connections is regulated not by wishes and
desires, but by specific international laws to which Germany too has
joined. Ambassador Quelle and other diplomats in attendance definitely
knew that behaving as a domestic political actor in a manner that
does not suit foreign state officials and supporting the position of
one side that contests power in Azerbaijan constitutes a breach of
diplomatic norms.
Ambassador Quelle is very likely to be familiar with the provisions of
the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, especially Article
3 and Article 41. Regardless, we would like to remind once again to
the ambassador that Article 3 covers the functions of the diplomatic
missions and does not contain any point that entitles an ambassador to
meddle in the internal affairs of the accredited country. Point 1 of
Article 41 openly states: “Without prejudice to their privileges and
immunities, it is the duty of all persons enjoying such privileges and
immunities to respect the laws and regulations of the receiving state.
They also have a duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of
that state”.
Point 2 of the same article says that all official business with the
receiving state shall be conducted through the Foreign Ministry or
such other ministry as may be agreed. This document does not allow
the embassy staff to interfere in domestic affairs of the receiving
state, even when it concerns issues that transcend boundaries, such
as democracy. No regulations by any international organization can
supersede this convention.
The results give us grounds to say that democracy, human rights and
freedom of speech are not the objective, but a lever for pressure on
the Azerbaijani government for both the destructive opposition and its
foreign patrons. At the session of the Cabinet of Ministers dedicated
to the results of social and economic development in the first quarter
of 2012 and the objectives ahead President Ilham Aliyev: “From the
destroyed country where chaos reigned and that lacked the basics of
statehood within 20 years we became one of the well-recognized and
regarded countries in the world”.
Naturally, for a country that achieved great results within 20
years it is not difficult to estimate how much more strength it
can gain in the next 20 years. This factor takes away the sleep of
the anti-Azerbaijani circles, Armenian lobby and the anti-national
politicians, who are consumed by the desire for power.
[translated from Azeri]