Azerbaijan, Baku, November 27/ Trend , corr A. Huseynbala/ National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council of Azerbaijan (NRTBC) urged international organizations not to describe suspension of broadcast of foreign radio stations on national frequencies as a political matter.
"International organizations and other states are interested in continuing discussions not to suspend broadcast of foreign radio stations. Despite all of these, our position remains unchanged," chairman of NRTBC Nushiravan Maharramli said to Trend .
NTRBC chairman announced last month that broadcast of foreign radio station in Azerbaijan will be suspended from 2009. NTRBC said the decision is attributable to measures government takes in the sphere of television and radio policy. The decision regarding suspension of broadcast of foreign radio stations will be made in the second half of December.
At present, US Voice of America, Radio Liberty and BBC radio stations and Turkish TRT TV channel broadcast in Azerbaijan. The contract signed with the above-mentioned radios and TV expires at the end of the year.
The US Department of State, OSCE, the Council of Europe and ambassadors of foreign states in Azerbaijan have expressed their concern over suspension of broadcast of foreign radio stations in Azerbaijan.
Maharramli said it is wrong to describe suspension of broadcast of foreign radio stations in Azerbaijan as a political and democratic issue. "European countries consider it a technical matter. The attitude to our decisions is different as there is no standard situation in Azerbaijan as in Europe. This is simply a legal issue. It has nothing to do with politics," Maharramli added.
Azerbaijan's radio and television regulations do not include any item about broadcast of foreign radio stations, he said.
"We are asked why suspension of a broadcast of foreign radio stations became a significant matter only now. I think we would not face this problem if these radio stations had not been permitted to broadcast earlier," NTRBC chairman noted.
US insist most of all on non-suspension of broadcast of foreign radio stations in Azerbaijan, he said.
"I think if broadcast of these radio stations is extended, it will be subject of discussion once again. It will be once again described as an attitude to the freedom of speech and media. Therefore we should solve this problem once and for all," Maharramli said.
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