Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr. S.Ilhamgizi / Supporters of Javad Darahti, the former chairman of the World Congress of Azerbaijanis, are planning to hold a special meeting this February, which may lead to a split of the organization. Darahti has demanded the resignation of Gulamrza Tabrizi, the current chairman of the organization, and has called for a special meeting of the WCA's European department.
According to Darahti, documents from a meeting held on 7 July were not submitted to the tax bodies of Sweden where the organization was registered. Darahti stated that in compliance with Swedish laws, the documents must be submitted to the appropriate agencies within three months.
"On 6 November, I received an official letter which stated it was necessary to hold the next meeting within three months. We will hold this meeting in February and propose the election of WCA co-chairpersons from Azerbaijan, Russia and Europe", said Darahti. He also stated that he would not nominate himself for the chairman post.
The WCA's current chairman said that the documents of the meeting held on 7 July were submitted to the tax bodies of Sweden a month and half ago. Tabrizi said that Darahti is attempting to split the organization again.
Khazar Emin, one of Darahti's supporters, said that the participation of about 70 people who are expected to attend the special meeting of the organization in Stockholm in February, will provide legitimacy to the meeting. According to Tabrizi, only five men out of seventeen support Darahti's nomination to the chairman position, "and a meeting of five men cannot be considered legitimate."
The WCA was founded in the United States in 1997. The organization protects the rights of Azerbaijanis living abroad. In 2001, the organization was divided into two parts. The separated group became the Democratic World Congress of Azerbaijanis.