Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 28
By Elmira Tariverdiyeva - Trend:
The author of this article stands against the theory of the global conspiracy. But the facts speak for themselves. We witnessed an unprecedented large-scale campaign to demonize the image of Azerbaijan in April 2012. Suddenly, the country was inundated with negativity and criticism after the victory in the Eurovision song contest.
According to the Western media and some Western politicians, Azerbaijan was proven guilty of all sins once, namely, disrespect for freedom of speech, a bad attitude towards journalists and problems with democracy.
Again, while Azerbaijan prepares to host the first European Games in June, the country became the target for attacks of many Western media outlets and some politicians.
The notable negativity in the Western press can not be explained as other than focused and paid up black PR. It occurred at once and in different countries.
I would like to explain to outside observers what is really going on from the viewpoint of an ordinary resident.
The question is why are the non-existent problems talked about right now and why did the major sports event became a beacon for some journalists who dare to issue a verdict and rally opinion among their readers without even being in the country.
The Armenian lobby needs the information war whether it calms down or flares up again. The largest Armenian diasporas live in the US, France and Russia. Possibly, because of this, the campaign against Azerbaijan is conducted from the office of the US secretary of state.
Moreover, some western forces have an explicit prejudice against Azerbaijan, which is based either on Islamophobia, or the reluctance to admit that a post-Soviet state can be a rival to a European country.
It is surprising that many representatives of Azerbaijan itself, living abroad and who call themselves the opposition, play up to this campaign against their homeland as well. Instead of using any opportunity for struggle over Nagorno-Karabakh, for the territorial integrity of their country, these "patriots" talk about non-existent human rights violations and problems with freedom of speech in the country they no longer live in.
If denigration of one's own state, instead of working for its well-being, is called patriotism, Azerbaijan doesn't need such worthless patriots willing to betray their homeland at the earliest opportunity in exchange for preferential treatment of their foreign patrons.
Edited by CN
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Elmira Tariverdiyeva is Trend Agency's staff writer, follow her on Twitter @EmmaTariver