Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr. S.Ilhamgizi / Nazim Ibrahimov, the Chairman of the Azerbaijani State Committee on Work with Azerbaijanis Residing Abroad, has stated that the State Committee is ready to offer assistance to the World Congress of Azerbaijanis in all issues excluding the issue concerning South Azerbaijan ( North Iran).
Ibrahimov attended the World Congress of Azerbaijanis in Cologne, Germany on 7 & 8 July. According to the chairman, the conference was held democratically. Gulamrza Tabrizi was elected chairman of the Congress.
Ibrahimov denied that the Azerbaijan Government had backed the candidacy of Javad Derekhti, former chairman, for the post of head of the Congress. Derekhti had been deputy chairman of the Coordinative Council of World Azerbaijanis and President Ilham Aliyev had rewarded him with the 'Tereggi' medal. "The Azerbaijani Government and the State should support the Azerbaijani Diaspora. The Government and State have very different ideas. We do not need Diaspora organizations which do not take into consideration the Azerbaijani Government," Ibrahimov said.
The chairman noted that he does not interfere with the internal affairs of the Congress regarding South Azerbaijan, because Azerbaijan does not interfere with Iran's internal affairs.
The World Congress of Azerbaijanis protects the rights of Azerbaijanis residing in Iran and is fighting for independence of South Azerbaijan.