Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb.6 / Trend E.Mehdiyev /
The Azerbaijani ruling party's Deputy Executive Secretary has accused some participants of the Forum of Intellectuals of desertion.
"The Forum of Intellectuals is an illegal organization. People who gathered under its mask called themselves intellectuals, but during the period of serious problems, lots of them left the country," Siyavush Novruzov told reporters on Monday.
He added intellectuals should deal with problems of their people, such as carrying out reforms in the country.
"There are true intellectuals in Azerbaijan. They participate in development of literature, science, art, education and other spheres. However there are people who during the problems in Azerbaijan left the country, who didn't write any important articles about Azerbaijan," he added.
Mr Novruzov said when Armenian intellectuals fought for seizure of Nagorno Karabakh these people had fun in Moscow restaurants and now they call themselves Azerbaijani intellectuals.
"Let them bring at least one fact that proves their struggle against the Armenians. Some participants of the Forum of Intellectuals take their children to the United States and Turkey. They are fugitives and are not entitled to judge intellectuals. There is no difference between a soldier deserting homeland in difficult times and such, so to speak, intellectuals," Mr Novruzov said.