Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 22
By Elmira Tariverdiyeva – Trend:
It is simply astonishing how eagerly Western representatives come up with a politically motivated decision defaming Azerbaijan on the eve of the referendum on amending the country’s constitution.
The visit of Michel Forst, UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, who, sparing no time, listed the “shortcomings” he “discovered” having arrived in Azerbaijan, has taken its own place in this complex political conspiracy. Well, one finds what one looks for.
However, any man in the street should ask himself or herself a question why a special rapporteur on human rights defenders eagerly leaves for Azerbaijan, while a representative of the Human Rights Council, who is authorized to prepare reports on the situation regarding more than a million refugees, the rights of which were ignored by all international institutions for many years, never finds time to come?
Forst’s speech is neither the first nor the last link in the chain of negative attacks on Azerbaijan on the eve of the referendum.
The sudden report of the Venice Commission on Azerbaijan became the most recent example of this fact. The Venice Commission simply ignored studying Azerbaijan's stance on the referendum, and prepared a conclusion in flagrant violation of the legal procedure, not even having bothered to notify Baku about it.
Azerbaijani officials simply didn’t have an opportunity to become familiar with the document and to clarify its content in the case of necessity. It is not difficult to guess what this means.
The conclusion of the Venice Commission is a political order against Azerbaijan and many external forces and possibly, PACE parliament members stand behind this order.
This is suggested by the fact that the conclusion of the Venice Commission was worked out in two weeks based on the request of PACE president.
It is clear that a large number of inaccuracies and mistakes were made in the document in such a hurry. But who cares? The order has been fulfilled and no one will elaborate the details.
Azerbaijan has for many years tried to withstand the onslaught of western institutions which by all means try to undermine the situation from inside. What is the purpose? One can ask this question to Ukrainians and Syrians.
Freedom House can serve as an example. It is loyal to Armenia and believes that Azerbaijan is “not free”, the Internet is “partially free” and that Azerbaijan has been “the most backward country in all of Eurasia in terms of democratic governance” in the last 10 years.
It is significant that David Kramer has been heading this organization for many years. For some strange reason, he hates Azerbaijan. However, the conclusions of the non-governmental organization, working at someone’s expense, are mentioned in the European Parliament’s resolution on Azerbaijan.
In other words, no matter how unverified data you are referring to and informal sources you are using, when the order has been already given.
The mechanism has been activated with the single purpose of damaging the image of the only country in the region refusing from dancing to somebody's tune.
For many years Azerbaijan has been carrying out its own independent policy aimed at ensuring its own interests. Azerbaijan itself chooses the countries for establishing friendly relations. The country implements beneficial projects.
Azerbaijan does not follow the world major political players’ tastes. All this irritates the West, which constantly strives to intervene in the country’s internal affairs.
The negative assessment of the referendum, which will take place (according to independent surveys, with a 92 percent voter turnout) in Azerbaijan September 26, the rallies of the so-called opposition, making advances to religious radicals, the statements of European organizations, such as the Venice Commission, are aimed at turning Azerbaijan into an obedient puppet (even worse), instructing the government to obey to the West, currying favor with it and fulfilling all its orders.
However, the Azerbaijani people have seen too much to believe absurd attempts to compromise Baku. How many countries over the past decades followed the democracy path that was pointed out by the West? Where it was exported? To Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Egypt? The West was not successful in spreading the so-called western democracy in any country.
The people will vote during the Sept. 26 referendum. It will vote for stability in order to prevent radical islamists from creating caliphate in the country, killing people due to their faith, dress or the music they listen. The people will vote for its pride, honor and dignity in order to ensure that the country’s citizens and their children won’t have to kiss the hands of Western politicians.
The Azerbaijani people will vote for itself.
Elmira Tariverdiyeva is the head of Trend Agency’s Russian news service