Mark Meirowitz: Strengthening of human rights and freedoms will raise Azerbaijan image in the world

    WashingtonDC/01.11.11/Turan: Mark Meirowitz, a well-known US political analyst and attorney, basedin New York, believes that, Azerbaijan, as a new member of the UN Security Council family, must start focusing on its human rights issues “right away”, in order to gain international trust and Westernpowers’ support. Joining the UN SC will mean that Azerbaijan's policies and actions, both internal and external, will be scrutinized, he told TURAN’s Washington DC correspondent. “Azerbaijan is on its way to heightened visibility in the world community - it must, therefore, foster prudent and responsible policies both internally and externally in line with its enhanced status as a future member of the UN SC”. Baku can gain inspiration from America, which has thrived on freedom of expression, the analyst underlines. “As the American experience shows, enhancing freedom of speech and expression strengthens a country by addressing human rights issues; Azerbaijan's image in the world community will be raised, and will bring it closer to the West”. Throughout the history, criticism of America's leaders in the press and from political opposition has sometimes been extreme and even outrageous. The American way is to allow freedom of speech andexpression, “even if some people express foolish and sometimes very unpleasant ideas. Other countries, such as Azerbaijan, can learn a great deal from this”, he added. Like other Washington analysts, Mr. Meirowitz has no doubt that the main reason for Azerbaijan to join the UN SC was to gain stature in the international community. Because of the veto power of the five"Great Powers", the P5, however, the smaller States on the UN Security Council, such as Azerbaijan, have no real influence. In the meanwhile, he says, how Azerbaijan votes on the UNSC will be watched, “so it must tread lightly and avoid confrontations with the "Big Five" (and especially with the US and Russia - in many respectssmall States find themselves between Scylla and Charybdis)”. As for Nagorno-Karabakh, it is wishful thinking to believe that this issue will be placed before the UN SC as a result of Azerbaijan's joining