S.Rustamhanly: Diaspora organizations cannot develop for a Directive

Diaspora organizations cannot become by instruction, they must undergo a gradual development, said in an interview with the radio "Voice of America" ​​co-chair of the World Azerbaijanis Congress Sabir Rustamkhanli, commenting on the 4th Congress of the World Azerbaijanis in Baku.

According to him, Diaspora organizations require active participation of the intelligentsia, people well knowing the language and culture of their country of residence. Only in this case they can integrate into the state structures and society in these countries and influence. All this cannot be done on the basis of policy decisions from Baku, he said.

State Committee for the Diaspora should not be limited to work only with well-known people to him, and should cooperate with reputable compatriots in the field. He criticized the policy of duplication Diaspora structures abroad. "If we have the Congress of Azerbaijanis of the world, it is not necessary to create another State Committee and the European convention, or Scandinavian Congress, Congress East, West Congress," Rustamkhanli said.

However, in any case, the Congress is an important event in the life of the Diaspora. Despite all shortcomings and technical failures, every five years the congress of compatriots in Azerbaijan is a great event.

Rustamkhanli considers fair the comments of the President Ilham Aliyev at the Congress about the insufficient work   of Diaspora with foreign media. He called the omissions not inviting to the Congress the publicist Orhan Araz, who lives in Germany and writes in German, although he has extensive links with German media.

Regarding the appeal of the President Aliyev to the Azerbaijani businessmen abroad to invest in Azerbaijan, Rustamkhanli considers that an important condition the ensuring economic transparency in the country. An important decision of certain problems with the provision of the rights of entrepreneurs, state guarantees access to tenders on the conditions of real competition.

"The problem cannot be solved only by calls, we need reliable guarantees of protection of investments," he said.  Regarding not inviting representatives of Iranian Azerbaijanis to the Congress because they are not Diaspora in their own country, and are indigenous people, Rustamkhanli said:

"Undoubtedly, the Azerbaijanis living in Darband, Kirkuk, Georgia, northern Syria, Turkey, Georgia, Iran is not a Diaspora. They live in their historical lands. But at the Congress there were enough Southern (Iranian) Azerbaijanis living in Europe and America. They come on behalf the Diaspora. However, Southern Azerbaijan, our historical lands, it is a part of Azerbaijan. It is wrong to regard them as a Diaspora, but they could be invited as guests. If the Azerbaijanis of the world gather together, they must be present," said Rustamkhanli. He also called for the holding congresses of the Azerbaijanis-scientists.

It is necessary to gather them here more often. Many foreigners from Africa, Asia, including a large number of well-known people, including presidents and prime ministers have graduated from the Oil academy.  They like and remember Baku, and are ready to do something useful for Azerbaijan, and they should be used in lobbying, Rustamkhanli said. -06D-