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BAKU: Holland 'Lacks Information' About Azerbaijan

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  • BAKU: Holland 'Lacks Information' About Azerbaijan

    HOLLAND 'LACKS INFORMATION' ABOUT AZERBAIJAN
    Leyla Tagiyeva News.Az

    news.az
    http://www.news.az/articles/politics/32118
    Feb 28 2011
    Azerbaijan

    News.Az interviews Tofig Hajili, co-chair of Azeri United, an
    organization of Dutch Azerbaijanis.

    What is the diaspora in Holland doing to mark the 19th anniversary
    of the Khojaly tragedy?

    There isn't an official diaspora, organized by the State Committee
    for Diaspora Issues, but there have been organizations here for the
    past 10-15 years now, for example TurkAzNed, who mark the anniversary
    of these tragic events in the established fashion. Our compatriots,
    mostly from Igdir and Azerbaijan, gather at the organization, visit
    the monument to the victims of Khojaly in the Hague and then usually
    gather at the same table.

    I regret to say, however, that these events used to be better attended.

    Has there been any change in the attitude of the Dutch leadership or
    public towards the tragedy and Azerbaijan's territorial problem?

    There have been no special changes there. I would even say that we
    have lost much of what we achieved, since many activists are now
    remote from these matters. As a result, there is a really big lack
    of information about the tragedy in Holland. Many people in Holland
    ask us why we have so little material about it, why the country~Rs
    authorities do not appeal to the international courts and so on.

    How strong is the Armenian lobby in Holland and what is its position
    in official structures?

    The position of the Armenian lobby is very strong; documentaries
    about Armenia, about "the poor, suppressed ancient Armenian people~T,
    about their "extermination" by Turks and all the rest of their usual
    propaganda are shown almost every month or two. We used to have these
    things just once or twice a year but it's not in our favour that our
    countrymen are less active now.

    As a result, the Armenians have done a great job in counter-propaganda;
    they work silently, but attain their goals. They have their people
    everywhere, they are welcomed everywhere, but nobody wants to listen
    to us. We have often met representatives of the Dutch parliament and
    been told openly that we cannot expect anything without state support.

    Why is their no support for your work?

    We are accused of what we have never done, in particular, of contacts
    with Alikram Humbatov [leader of a separatist movement in the south
    of Azerbaijan, granted asylum in Holland] although he came to see us
    only once and since then we haven't been in touch.

    In the past, there have been cases of Armenian emigrants, coming to
    Holland, trying to pass themselves off as Azerbaijanis or refugees
    from Azerbaijan. Is this still a problem?

    The problem of pseudoemigrants does not exist now because Holland has
    tightened up its laws and stopped accepting guests. Those who came
    before are still here but there are almost no new emigrants from the
    post-Soviet countries.




    From: A. Papazian
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