tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5414128778107463162024-02-20T01:43:38.655-08:00Azerbaijani-American Council (AAC)AAChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13963359707536330679noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541412877810746316.post-73476835744035819972012-11-18T16:00:00.000-08:002012-11-18T22:52:07.195-08:00Azerbaijani students confront Levon Marashlian's unscholarly hoopla at UC Irvine<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">IRVINE, CA - On November 15, 2012, the Armenian
Studies program at the University of California Irvine (UCI) <a href="http://www.humanities.uci.edu/SOH/calendar/detail.php?recid=3841&dept_code_val=all&file_name=events" target="_blank">hosted</a> <a href="http://www.glendale.edu/marashlian/" target="_blank">Levon Marashlian</a>, professor of History
at Glendale Community College, for a presentation titled </span><span style="font-size: small;">"The Karabakh Conflict From Ceasefire to Safarov: Analysis Via Television NewsCoverage: 1990s to 2012”. </span><span style="font-size: small;"> The moderator of the event was <a href="http://www.tourajdaryaee.com/" target="_blank">Touraj Daryaee</a>, professor of Persian
Studies at UC Irvine, who recently wrote <a href="http://www.iranian.com/main/2012/aug/partition-iran" target="_blank">an article denying
Azerbaijani national identity</a>. Daryaee is also one of the contributors to UCI
Armenian Studies program. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In what was a rather biased selective
video coverage of the Karabakh conflict, Mr. Marashlian went on to advocate the
Armenian view and attack Azerbaijan. He claimed that the 1988 Sumgait riots were
the first atrocity of the Karabakh conflict and made no mentioning of the 1992
Khojaly Massacre. Marashlian also argued that apart from historical belonging,
Armenia needs Karabakh as a food and land resource and Azerbaijan does not,
because it has oil. While repeatedly misspelling the original name of
Karabakh’s historic center, Shusha, as “Shushi”, Marashlian failed to mention
that, prior to the Armenian occupation, this city had a predominantly Azerbaijani
population and was founded in the 18th century as the capital of the
Karabakh khanate. Levon Marashlian also alleged that while officer Ramil Safarov’s
release was legal, Azerbaijan glorified him as an example for youth, and
therefore Karabakh shall not be part of Azerbaijan. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">During the subsequent question-and-answer
(Q&A) session, one of the UCI Azerbaijani students asked Mr. Marashlian to draw
contrast between Ramil Safarov and Varoujan Garabedian, convicted for the 1983 ASALA
bombing of the Turkish Airlines office at the Paris Orly airport that left 8
civilians dead and 55 injured. Sentenced to life by a French court, Garabedian,
originally from Syria, was released in 2001 on a condition of his immediate
departure to Armenia. According to the <a href="http://www.rferl.org/content/article/1142396.html" target="_blank">Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty report</a>, upon his arrival to Yerevan on May 4, 2001,
Garabedian was welcomed by then Prime Minister Andranik Markarian, who
expressed “joy” over the release of the convicted terrorist. Then-Mayor of
Yerevan, Robert Nazarian pledged to provide Garabedian with housing and
accommodation. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Struggling to answer the question,
Levon Marashlian pondered that the two cases are different, because Garabedian,
welcomed by high-ranking officials of Armenia, was not greeted as hero, while
Safarov, who did not receive such high-ranking reception, somehow was. Asked how the
murder of 8 civilians in a terrorist attack differs from the murder of a military
officer during a training course, Marashlian argued that Garabedian had served
his sentence, while Safarov, who also spent 8 years in Hungarian prison,
somehow did not. Throughout his lecture, Marashlian also omitted the fact that
Safarov’s family has been expelled from its home when Armenian forces occupied Jebrayil
region of Azerbaijan. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In a subsequent question, an
Azerbaijani attendee asked Levon Marashlian, why he avoided mentioning the 1992
Khojaly Massacre, the largest mass killing of civilians during the Karabakh
conflict according to Human Rights Watch. Marashlian insisted that he showed the photos
from Khojaly, though he did not spell out the word Khojaly even once during his
speech. He continued denying Armenia’s involvement in this crime against
humanity as acknowledged by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Memorial
Group and several other independent international watchdogs. When presented
with the account of Armenia’s involvement in the Khojaly Massacre from Markar
Melkonian’s “My Brother’s Road” – the diary of Armenia’s National Hero and
Armenian-American, Monte (Avo) Melkonian – Marashlian went on to claim that
Melkonian was wrong, that Human Rights Watch is using Azerbaijani figures. He
reiterated Armenia’s dissolute denial of the crime by maintaining that
Azerbaijani forces fired on Azerbaijani civilians and that the evidence was forged.
Yet, in its <a href="http://www.hrw.org/en/news/1997/03/23/response-armenian-government-letter-town-khojaly-nagorno-karabakh" target="_blank">March
1997 response to Armenian Government</a>, Human Rights Watch wrote:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>“</i><i>We
place direct responsibility for the civilian deaths with Karabakh Armenian
forces. Indeed, neither our report nor that of Memorial includes any evidence
to support the argument that Azerbaijani forces obstructed the flight of, or
fired on Azeri civilians.”</i><i> </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Asked why he claimed Sumgait riots
were the first atrocity of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict ignoring the
preceding <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Askeran_clash" target="_blank">Askeran clash</a>,
during which two Azerbaijanis were killed by Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh,
Marashlian declared that the killing of 2 Azerbaijanis was not an atrocity,
while the killing of 26 Armenians and 6 Azerbaijanis during riots was. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Asked by yet another Azerbaijani
student as to why hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis displaced by the
Armenian occupation cannot return to their homes for 18 years, Marashlian
argued that Armenia needs Karabakh to sustain itself and Azerbaijan has oil to
provide for those expelled from their homes by Armenian forces.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Several Armenian attendees at the
lecture joined the Azerbaijan-bashing session with some even claiming that the medieval
name of Karabakh was invented in 1921, and did not exist prior to that. In tune
with this opinion, Marashlian ended <a href="http://www.tallarmeniantale.com/ergun-marashlian.htm" target="_blank">his unscholarly propaganda</a> on UCI campus by
shouting “Artsakh”, the ancient Albanian name of Mountainous Karabakh region of
Azerbaijan. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.azeris.org/images/events/MarashlianUCI2012/DaryaeeIntro.JPG" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.azeris.org/images/events/MarashlianUCI2012/DaryaeeIntro.JPG" src="http://www.azeris.org/images/events/MarashlianUCI2012/DaryaeeIntro.JPG" height="225" width="300" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">PR201211#03</span></span> </div>
AAChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13963359707536330679noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541412877810746316.post-3186971152281959492012-11-07T11:22:00.001-08:002014-03-14T01:23:28.470-07:00Azerbaijani-Americans congratulate President Obama on his re-election<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">NEW YORK</span><span style="font-size: small;">, LOS ANGELES - Azerbaijani-American Council (AAC) and Azerbaijan Society of America (ASA) congratulate President Barack Obama on the occasion of his confident re-election victory on November 6, 2012. </span><span style="font-size: small;">We also commend Governor Mitt Romney for a well-organized campaign and wish him success in his future endeavors.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">AAC and ASA hope that in the next four years, the Obama Administration will continue working to enhance the U.S.-Azerbaijani relations along the previously defined key priorities of regional security, energy development, and economic and democratic reform. The lack of progress in the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement remains a major obstacle in all of the mentioned areas. So, we count on the Administration's active engagement in the OSCE Minsk Group peace process and on its ability to inhibit the harmful influence of some ethnic special interest groups on U.S. foreign policy in the South Caucasus.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Many Azerbaijani-Americans also hope that in pursuit of a diplomatic solution to the impasse over the Iranian nuclear program, the Obama Administration will bear in mind the plight of ethnic Azerbaijanis that comprise well over third of Iran's population.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">AAC and ASA thank all Azerbaijani-Americans who exercised their civic duties by voting in the U.S. elections on Tuesday. Their active participation in this democratic process is a fundamental part of advancing the Azerbaijani-American grassroots.</span></span></div>
AAChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13963359707536330679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541412877810746316.post-78296045916364377962012-10-23T16:00:00.000-07:002012-11-07T20:53:14.091-08:00Azerbaijani Student Association established at the University of California<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img align="left" alt="Sample image" border="0" class="caption" height="150" src="http://www.azeris.org/images/logos/uciazsalogo.png" title="Sample image" width="150" />IRVINE,
CALIF. - AAC and ASA welcome the official registration of the Azerbaijani
Student Association at the University of California Irvine (AzSA@UCI) on
October 23, 2012. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">AzSA@UCI is the first registered Azerbaijani
student association on the U.S. West Coast and within the University of
California (UC) system. Over the coming year, AzSA@UCI will organize
educational and social activities aimed at raising awareness of Azerbaijan and
its rich historical and cultural heritage on campus. The organization plans on expanding to other UC campuses as well.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;">AzSA@UCI has initiated a Facebook fan page and group at:</span><br />
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/UCAzeris" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>UCAzeris</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/UCAzeris" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>groups/UCAzeris</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We
encourage everyone to regularly visit and like AzSA@UCI page and to join its Facebook group for updates
on activities. AAC and ASA look forward to cooperation with AzSA@UCI and other student organizations within the
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/AYNAnet" target="_blank">Azerbaijani Youth of North America (AYNA)</a> network platform. </span></span></div>
</div>
AAChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13963359707536330679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541412877810746316.post-51378889752914223122012-10-18T23:30:00.000-07:002012-10-31T17:07:39.761-07:00ASA celebrates its 55th anniversary at the famous U.S. landmark <div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>NEW YORK - On October 18, 2012, in celebration of its</span><span> 55th
anniversary and the 21st anniversary of Azerbaijani Independence Day,
Azerbaijan Society of America (ASA) organized a reception at the
landmark Empire State Building in New York. The nearly 100 attendees at
the reception included high-ranking diplomats from Azerbaijan, Turkey,
Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, representatives
from various New York-based governmental, non-governmental and business
organizations, CBS News and other media groups, Azerbaijani, Turkish
and Jewish communities, students from Columbia and New York
Universities.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span><br /><a name='more'></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=541412877810746316" name="more"></a></span></span>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Opening the event, ASA external
communications director, Emin Hasan, briefly talked about the
organization's history and the opera musician, Alexandria Sultanzade von
Brusseldorf, performed the U.S. and Azerbaijani national anthems.
Further, former Congressman, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_McMahon" target="_blank">Michael McMahon</a> (D-NY); ASA President, Tomris Azeri; Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the UN, Ambassador Agshin Mehdiyev; </span><span>General
Director of Azerbaijani-American Council, Javid Huseynov; Science TV
Channel host and architect, Danny Forster; President of the Federation
of Turkish-American Associations, Ali Cinar; Honorary Turkish Consul and
former president of the Assembly of Turkish-American Associations
(ATAA), Nurten Ural; Consul General of Azerbaijan in Istanbul, Hasan
Zeynalov; Director of Kavkaz Jewish Youth Center, Luba Yusubov;
representative of the Azerbaijani State Committee on Diaspora Affairs,
Javanshir Veliyev, addressed the audience. The speakers highlighted the
successes and challenges of Azerbaijan since the restoration of its
independence in 1991, highlighted ASA's heritage as the oldest
Azerbaijani-American grassroots organization and its leading role in
Azerbaijani-American community advocacy. </span></span></span></div>
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<span> </span><span>
</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Additionally, the recognition letters
from the New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo; Deputy Foreign Minister and
Azerbaijan's first envoy to the U.S., Ambassador Hafiz Pashayev; Consul
General of Israel in New York, Ambassador Ido Aharoni, community leaders
in Israel and Canada greeting ASA's 55th anniversary were read at the
reception. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>The event concluded with the performance
by the Azerbaijani mugham music master, Jeffrey Werbock, opera musician
Alexandria Sultanzade, and the Central Asia Vatan music group in New
York. Among
the distinguished guests at ASA's Empire State Building reception were
also the current and former board members of ATAA and a rising <a href="http://www.rednyc.com/website/talent/20197/rustam-jabrayilov/" target="_blank">New York-based modeling star</a>, Rustam Jabrayilov. </span></span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Select photos and recognition letters from the event are included below. For more photos, visit ASA page at <a href="http://asa.azeris.org/" target="_blank">http://ASA.azeris.org</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>ASA</i><i> is the oldest grassroots organization
uniting Azerbaijani-Americans since 1957</i></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>AAChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13963359707536330679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541412877810746316.post-52797044809231496742012-10-05T22:32:00.001-07:002012-10-16T22:43:18.329-07:00PRNewswire: Armenia Has Lost The War<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">LOS ANGELES, Oct. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following article is being released by Nasimi Aghayev, Consul General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The OSCE's Minsk Group, co-chaired by France, Russia and the United States, has been tasked for the last 20 years with mediating a resolution to the protracted conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Group's most recent attempt to broker a solution came on September 27 when the co-chairs met with the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers in <a class=" lingo_link lingo_link_hidden" href="http://topics.sacbee.com/New+York/" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; color: black; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">New York.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the co-chairs' periodic calls for a peaceful solution, and their 'concern over the lack of tangible progress' ignore the real problem: Armenia's refusal to withdraw its troops from the illegally occupied territories of Azerbaijan, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent districts, and to enable the expelled population of these territories to return to their homes. To move forward, the Minsk Group must not simply keep issuing empty statements. It should make clear to Armenia's leadership that peace with Azerbaijan is not just a diplomatic priority: it is the only way to address the serious social, economic, and political problems of Armenia. To realise this, Armenian politicians must stop focusing on the past and look to the future of their country.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Armenia is undergoing a serious demographic decline. Tens of thousands of young people, seeing no opportunities at home, are moving abroad for a better life. An independent survey publicized last year by the <a class=" lingo_link lingo_link_hidden" href="http://topics.sacbee.com/Carnegie+Endowment/" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; color: black; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Carnegie Endowment</a> in Washington shows that 64% of Armenians want to emigrate. According to various figures, around 1.5 million Armenians - almost half of the country's population - have permanently moved abroad since 1991. Social infrastructure is gradually eroding. The economy is stagnant and reliant on foreign assistance and remittances; meanwhile Armenia is increasingly diplomatically isolated. The future, on current trends, looks bleak.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Azerbaijan, by contrast, is becoming ever more prosperous, developed, and confident on the world stage. Only 20 years after independence, Azerbaijan was elected last year to the UN Security Council. This election, by an overwhelming majority of 155 countries, is a testament to Azerbaijan's global stature and successful diplomacy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Economically, Azerbaijan has become one of the world's great success stories. With an economy worth $65 billion, it already accounts for 80% of the economy of the whole South Caucasus region, and is fast becoming a significant foreign investor. This economic success is the result of Azerbaijan's smart and dynamic approach to its oil and gas wealth, providing for the prosperity of future generations whilst working to tackle current challenges. Poverty, for instance, has fallen from 49% in 2001 to just 7.6% today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The government has invested billions of dollars of <a class=" lingo_link lingo_link_hidden" href="http://topics.sacbee.com/oil+revenue/" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; color: black; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">oil revenue</a> into healthcare, education, and other services as part of its ambition to 'turn black gold into human gold.' Illustrating this vision, a new state-of-the-art campus has just been inaugurated for the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy. This advanced facility, along with the Study Abroad Program, which helps young Azerbaijanis receive an education in the world's best universities, will help to create a new generation of dynamic, highly skilled professionals.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just as important for current troubled times, Azerbaijan has proven itself to be a guarantor of ethnic and religious tolerance. As the first Muslim democracy during its 1918-20 independence and a firmly secular state today, where Muslims, Christians and Jews live together in peace, Azerbaijan is a <a class=" lingo_link" href="http://topics.sacbee.com/role+model/" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #024a82; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">role model</a> for the Muslim world and a reminder that talk of a 'clash of civilisations' is misguided.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thus peace with Azerbaijan would revolutionise Armenia's prospects by bringing stability and open borders, encouraging much-needed investments, and connecting Armenia to the region's growing network of transport and energy corridors. But the Armenian government seems not to understand this reality. Instead of pursuing the path of peace, the Armenian government continues the illegal occupation and does its best to preserve the unjust status quo.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The current leadership, many of whom took part in the occupation of Azerbaijani territories in the early 1990s, have apparently forgotten the confession of one of their own. In 1997, Armenia's former president Levon Ter-Petrosyan said that Armenians "won the battle, but not the war." The confusion between winning a battle and winning the war, he said, had "brought misfortune to many."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It continues to do so today. Armenia's occupation of almost 20% of Azerbaijan's internationally recognised territory has not brought power or prosperity to Armenia. Instead it has locked the country into diplomatic isolation, economic failure and demographic decline.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace with Azerbaijan is in the best interests of the people of Armenia. If the government in Yerevan fails to understand this reality, the OSCE's Minsk Group must make them do so.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.sacbee.com/2012/10/01/4871368/armenia-has-lost-the-war.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SOURCE Consulate General of Azerbaijan in <span class="Apple-style-span" style="cursor: pointer;">Los Angeles</span></span></a></div>
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<a class=" lingo_link lingo_link_hidden" href="http://topics.sacbee.com/Los+Angeles/" rel="nofollow" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; color: black; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/10/01/4871368/armenia-has-lost-the-war.html#storylink=cpy</span></a></div>
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AAChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13963359707536330679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541412877810746316.post-46793235190460687462012-09-25T17:44:00.000-07:002012-10-31T18:05:46.121-07:00AAC officers attend Armenian Foreign Minister's speech at LAWAC<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">LOS ANGELES - On September 24, 2012, several AAC officers attended the presentation by the Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, at the Los Angeles World Affairs Council (LAWAC). In his speech, Mr. Nalbandian talked about the ongoing status of negotiations for the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">During the subsequent Q&A session, an AAC officer noted that Armenia has been neglecting the UN Security Council Resolutions regarding the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict </span><span style="font-size: small;">for nearly 20 years. He questioned when Armenia will fulfill those obligations, ceasing the occupation of Azerbaijani territories and allowing for the return of over 800,000 displaced Azerbaijanis to their homes. AAC officer also asked whether the so-called "people of Karabakh" that Mr. Nalbandian has oft-referred to in his speech included Azerbaijanis, who prior to the conflict comprised third of Nagorno-Karabakh region's population. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mr. Nalbandian failed to address both questions, instead labeling Azerbaijan as an aggressor on its own internationally-recognized territory and </span><span style="font-size: small;">attempting to justify the military occupation and ethnic cleansing on Azerbaijani territories as a struggle for self-determination. </span></span></div>
AAChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13963359707536330679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541412877810746316.post-69716605978367158232012-09-22T13:56:00.000-07:002012-10-16T23:00:36.868-07:00Congressman Rohrabacher introduces resolution supporting the rights of Azeris in Iran<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“The Azeri people have an innate right to choose their own political structure and to choose their country,” said Rohrabacher. “It is not up to bureaucrats in Washington or the mullah dictatorship in Iran. The ethnic Azeri’s in Azerbaijan enjoy sovereignty and independence; there is no reason why the Azeri population in Iran should not be able to make that same choice. This principle holds true for all the people who live in Iran.” </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“My resolution puts the US on the side of the Azeri people and with the people within Iran,” said Rohrabacher. “If the people on the ground don’t want to be ruled by the mullah dictatorship in Iran, then we should support their right to determine their future through a referendum. It is disconcerting to me that the State Department and Tehran agree that the people of Iran should be forced to live within the borders and under the same jurisdiction no matter how the majority of the Azeris believe. I am calling on the government of Iran to provide its Azeri population with a referendum to determine their own future state.” </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Congressman <span style="font-size: small;">Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Chairman of the Hou<span style="font-size: small;">se Foreign Aff<span style="font-size: small;">airs Sub<span style="font-size: small;">committee on Oversight and Investigations</span></span></span></span></i></span></span></span></span> </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>AAChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13963359707536330679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541412877810746316.post-83302161954006058012012-09-11T06:00:00.000-07:002012-10-16T18:28:42.891-07:00Azerbaijani-Americans remember 9/11<div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES - Eleven years ago, on this day, the United States and the world had experienced a horrific act of terrorism against our way of life. The coordinated suicide attacks by Al Qaeda on the World Trade Center towers in New York and the Pentagon building in Washington, D.C. resulted in a total of 2,977 innocent deaths. Thousands of Americans and other nationals lost their loved ones during 9/11, a memory that cannot be erased from our minds. </span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In
response to the 9/11 attacks, Azerbaijan was among the first nations to support the United States in the struggle against the global terror threat. This response had reflected
Azerbaijanis'
commitment to fight terrorism anywhere in the
world. Subsequently, Azerbaijan was among the first nations to send
troops in support of the U.S. efforts in Afghanistan
and Iraq. Besides that, an
Azerbaijani-American U.S. Marine, Lance Corporal Mourad Ragimov of San
Diego, California, lost his life during the U.S.
operations in Iraq. </span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
Azerbaijani response to the 9/11 attacks was not incidental. In the
course of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, many
Azerbaijanis had become victims of terrorist acts, such as the 1984 bus
explosion in capital Baku, killing a
mother of two and injuring several others; the February 1992 massacre in
the town
of Khojaly, killing 613 civilians, including 106 women and 63 children;
the March 1994 subway bomb attack in Baku, killing 14 and injuring 42;
and
others. Hundreds
of Azerbaijani civilians were killed by the militants of the Armenian
Secret Army for Liberation of Armenia (ASALA), an organization also
responsible for murdering a number of Turkish diplomats and civil
servants in Europe, the Middle East and North America during the 1970s
and 1980s. ASALA, which is revered as heroic in Armenia, was designated
and condemned as a terrorist group by the United States and the European
nations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Members of Azerbaijani-American Council and Azerbaijan Society of America join all Azerbaijani-Americans and friends in remembrance
of the victims of 9/11 and reaffirm our denunciation of terrorism in all forms. </span></div>
AAChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13963359707536330679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541412877810746316.post-62502590715994284262012-09-05T21:36:00.000-07:002012-10-31T18:23:57.789-07:00Interview with ASA President regarding Ramil Safarov's release<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>News.Az interviews Tomris Azeri, President of Azerbaijan Society of America (ASA) and the co-founder of the Pax Turcica Institute (PTI) about the Azerbaijani-American reaction to the recent release of Ramil Safarov </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>- How did Azerbaijani-Americans react to the extradition of Ramil
Safarov by the Hungarian authorities and his release to freedom in
Azerbaijan?</b><br /><br />
Generally, Ramil Safarov's extradition from Hungary and pardon in
Azerbaijan is a legal matter that would be properly assessed by the
legal experts. But leaving those specifics aside, many
Azerbaijani-Americans and
<span class="il">ASA</span> members reacted sympathetically to the
fact of Safarov's release.</span></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The primary reason for such compassion to Safarov is the fact that,
like hundreds of thousands of other Azerbaijanis, he lost his home and
family members as a result of the ongoing Armenian occupation. While
focusing on a case of one murder, the international community remains
largely indifferent to the fates of thousands of other people, who were
either murdered or lost their homes in consequence of Armenian
aggression without any justice served. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><b>- How do you assess the Armenian reaction to this issue? I’ll
remind that deputy speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Eduard
Sharmazanov said that Safarov’s pardon “proves the politics of hatred
towards Armenians and fascism of Azerbaijan”?</b>
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I am not surprised by the reaction from Armenia. What else may one
expect from the country that continues to occupy fifth of Azerbaijan,
keeping hundreds of thousands of people outside of their homes? What
other response do we expect from the nation that continues to either
deny or applaud its involvement in the 1992 Khojaly Massacre, murdering
613 people including 106 women and 63 children? Safarov's case is not
just about a murder, it's about the consequences of Armenian aggression
that brought to the situation that we have. How many Safarovs are there
in Azerbaijan and Armenia today, and why? This is the real question that
Armenia and its sympathizers in this case shall ask themselves.
<br /><br />
Furthermore, on April 23, 2001, under relentless pressure from the
Armenian community, the French authorities released a convicted ASALA
terrorist, Varoujan Garabedian, from prison, on the condition of his
deportation to Armenia. Garabedian was serving for the July 15, 1983
bombing of the Turkish Airlines counter at the Orly Airport in Paris,
which left 8 people dead and 55 injured.</span></span>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
Upon his return to Armenia, Garabedian was cheered as a hero and met by
high-ranking Armenian officials, such as Prime Minister, Andranik
Margarian, and Yerevan Mayor, Robert Nazarian. The latter pledged to
provide him with employment and full accommodation. After all, unlike
Safarov, Garabedian targeted several representatives of one ethnic
group, not just an individual.<br /><br /><b>- What do you think about intervention to this issue of the US
authorities, which are already criticized Baku and condemned Safarov’s
pardon?</b>
<br /><br />
It is very sad that the White House and State Department rushed to
issue statements criticizing Safarov's pardon. Neither government agency
has an authority or an expertise to decide whether Safarov's
extradition or pardoning were carried out in accordance with the proper
international legal procedures. And given the silence over Garabedian
release in 2001, these statements are obviously aimed only at appeasing
the Armenian-American community and nothing more. They lack legal and
moral basis.
<br /><br />
I sincerely wish that instead of another round of a tit-for-tat,
members of the Armenian-American community really try to understand the
environment resulting from the cause that they supported all along. I
sincerely wish that before authoring another Turcophobic ode, Mr. Harout
Sassounian, for instance, analyzes what can be done to resolve the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.
<br /><b><br />
- Will this intervention harm relations between Azerbaijan and the US? </b>
<br /><br />
I don't think so. With the upcoming elections in November and the
heated debates over economy, Safarov case is less than relevant for the
broader American audience and U.S. foreign policy.
<br /><span style="color: grey;"><br />
<i>F.H.</i><br />
News.Az</span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">URL: <a href="http://www.news.az/articles/politics/67601" target="_blank">http://www.news.az/articles/<wbr></wbr>politics/67601</a></span></span>
</div>
AAChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13963359707536330679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541412877810746316.post-53031151176130407752012-08-12T11:04:00.000-07:002012-10-31T18:08:47.832-07:00Deadly earthquake in East Azerbaijan region of Iran<p align=justify>Members
of
Azerbaijani-American Council and Azerbaijan Society of America join all
Azerbaijanis in grieving for the victims of the recent powerful
earthquakes in East Azerbaijan province of Iran on Saturday, August 12,
2012. According to international news sources, at least 250 people were
killed and over 2,000 were injured during the two magnitude 6.4 earthquakes that hit the towns and villages near the historic city of Tabriz.</p>
<p align=justify>With our hearts and minds on the side of our South Azerbaijani brethren, we call upon the Iranian
authorities, all relevant international organizations and Azerbaijani
communities abroad to assist survivors in need of
emergency aid in the earthquake-affected areas.</p>
AAChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13963359707536330679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541412877810746316.post-4542875105061148692012-07-07T11:26:00.000-07:002012-10-16T18:21:39.382-07:00The New York Senate recognizes Azerbaijani Genocide<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are pleased to inform that Azerbaijani-American Council has received an official copy of the New York State Senate resolution 3784 - the first-ever legislative recognition of the Azerbaijani Genocide
- that also designated March 31 as Azerbaijani Remembrance Day in the
State of New York. The resolution 3784, introduced by State Senator
James Alesi of Rochester, New York (NY-55th district) and adopted in the
Senate as a result of efforts by the members of Azerbaijan Society of
America and Azerbaijani-American Council, details the facts of horrific
massacres committed by Bolshevik and Armenian Revolutionary Federation
(Dashnak party) forces led by Stepan Shaumyan against Azerbaijani
civilians in March 1918 and designates these acts as a genocide.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><img height="640" src="http://www.azeris.org/images/proclamations/AzerbaijaniGenocide_NYSenateRes3784_2012.jpg" width="388" />
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">
</span>AAChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13963359707536330679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541412877810746316.post-32151196646234042202012-07-04T10:29:00.000-07:002012-10-16T17:59:42.732-07:00Azerbaijani-Americans celebrate July 4th<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Azerbaijani-American Council (AAC) joins
all Azeri-Americans in celebration of the U.S. Independence Day, July
4th. 236 years ago on this day, the Second Continental Congress adopted
the Declaration of Independence, proclaiming the independence of
American colonies from Great Britain. </span>Drafted by Thomas Jefferson as its
principal author, the Declaration of Independence provided for
unalienable rights of Americans to "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of
Happiness". For over two centuries, these basic but fundamental rights
attracted millions of people around the world to call America a new
home. Consequently, these words of Jefferson also defined our nation, a
land of free people of diverse cultures and faiths, all pursuing their
own American dream.<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The American ideals of freedom and
equality for all are not alien to Azerbaijani people. In 1918, Azeris
were blessed with the ability to build a first parliamentary democracy
in the Middle East and the Muslim world. A year later, after meeting
with Azerbaijani delegation at the 1919 Paris Peace Conference,
President Woodrow Wilson drew a concise parallel between Azerbaijani and
American ideals by saying:<i> "There came in a very distinguished
group of gentlemen from Azerbaijan. I was talking to men who talked the
same language that I did in respect of ideals , in respect of
conceptions of liberty, in conceptions of right and justice". </i>As a
vibrant community present in the United States for over 50 years,
Azeri-Americans are proud of this historic recognition.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Members of Azerbaijani-American Council join in celebration of our way
of life and wish all fellow citizens prosperity, peace and success in their
pursuit of happiness.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">God Bless America!</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
AAChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13963359707536330679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541412877810746316.post-35415305073264010982012-05-29T15:09:00.000-07:002012-10-16T17:36:14.102-07:00Recognition of Azerbaijan's first democracy pride for all Azerbaijani-Americans<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>News.Az interview with Javid Huseynov, Ph.D., General Director of AAC and co-founder of Pax Turcica Institute. </i></span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /></strong>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">May 28th was formally recognized in several U.S. states. Some states earlier recognized other important dates in Azerbaijani history. What is the role of Azerbaijani diaspora in this direction?</span></strong></strong></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The establishment of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) 94 years ago was one of the most important events in the history of Azerbaijani nation. The significance of May 28th is not only about the formation of a modern Azerbaijani statehood, but also about the universal values and democratic principles upon which that statehood was formulated.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The achievements of Azerbaijan in that era were recognized by President Woodrow Wilson who, after meeting with Azerbaijani delegation at the 1919 Paris Peace Conference, remarked that Azerbaijani leaders shared the American vision of liberty and justice.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These historical facts constitute a great pride for Azerbaijani-Americans, who seek recognition of May 28 as their National Day across America every year.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This month, as a result of Pax Turcica action campaigns led by Azerbaijani American Council (AAC) and Azerbaijan Society of America (ASA), the governors of the states of New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island as well as the state legislatures of Connecticut and New Jersey recognized the 94th anniversary of ADR. May 28 proclamation was also issued by the County of Orange in California. All of the above proclamations acknowledge the achievements of ADR as the world's first predominantly Muslim secular democracy and recognize ASA as the first Azerbaijani-American grassroots organization built upon the ADR heritage in 1957.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The proclamations by the Connecticut Governor and by Orange County, California also emphasize the sovereignty of Azerbaijan over Karabakh and Nakhchivan regions. This is an important part of recognition that we seek from state governments and legislatures, so as to avoid situations like the one with the recent Resolution H8180 in Rhode Island House of Representatives on May 17, 2012. Influenced by the ethnic special interest groups, this resolution seeks recognition of the so-called "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic", in contradiction of the U.S. foreign policy and in violation of state laws. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It also undermines U.S. efforts at peaceful resolution of Karabakh conflict and deeply insults hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis displaced by the conflict to date. While pleased by the Rhode Island Governor's recognition of Azerbaijani National Day, in our appreciation letter to the Governor, AAC representative in Rhode Island emphasized concerns over Resolution H8180 and called upon the executive power to use its influence for repealing this disgraceful legislation.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a recent report on human rights situation in Armenia and Azerbaijan, the U.S. Department of State reminds of the ongoing occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and 7 other regions of Azerbaijan by the Armenian forces. The Armenian side reacted to this wording with irritation. Why did such reaction occur now, when the State Department recognized Azerbaijan's sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh all along? Did they expect any change in Washington's official position in this regard?</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Indeed, the said report states the fact: “Ethnic Armenian separatists, with Armenia’s support, continued to control most of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of the country and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories.” This statement of a fact irritates the leadership of Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) that seeks to justify ethnic cleansing of the entire Azerbaijani population on the occupied territories as the right for self-determination. This achingly reminds of the situation with the war crimes committed in the name of "self-determination" by Serbian forces in Bosnia during 1990s.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finding reason in the position of Armenian-American special interest groups regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh problem is close to impossible. That is because the position is influenced by a self-imposed tale rather than by historical facts, present realities or a vision of future. The facts that Karabakh was an Azerbaijani khanate prior to the Russian conquest of the Caucasus in early 19th century, that Armenian Republic officially recognized Azerbaijan's sovereignty over Karabakh in 1919, that Karabakh is recognized by the international community as part of Azerbaijan, that Armenians and Azerbaijanis coexisted in the region for centuries, that some 600,000 ethnic Azerbaijanis have been ethnically cleansed out of their homes in Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding territories have no importance for these groups. ANCA leaders are only concerned about a self-determination of one ethnic group regardless of the casualties or trampled rights of the cohabitants of a different ethnicity.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These interest groups further undermine Karabakh peace process by lobbying a handful of U.S. Congressmen to allocate direct aid to Nagorno-Karabakh based on solely ethnic preferences. While the U.S. Congress intended to help all victims of conflict since 1998, these groups try to direct U.S. taxpayer money only to one ethnic group, while leaving some 600,000 displaced Azerbaijani victims of the conflict out. Obviously, such position has very little to do with the American values.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What do you think of the nomination of Richard Morningstar as the new U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan?</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Azerbaijani-American organizations support President Obama's nomination of Ambassador Richard Morningstar to serve as the U.S. envoy to Azerbaijan. As a current Special Envoy for Eurasian energy, and formerly, President Clinton's adviser on Caspian Energy and one of the influential figures behind the East-West energy corridor,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ambassador Morningstar is well experienced and qualified for the job.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How soon can he assume the ambassadorial duties? Could there be problems during his confirmation in the Senate?</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The confirmation in the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations will probably take place during this summer. It is likely that the Armenian-American special interest will attempt to obstruct this nomination, as it was done via Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) with Ambassador Bryza's nomination before. For Armenian lobby this is an opportunity to show symbolic influence over the ambassadorial appointment, rather than to express any genuine care for broader U.S. national interests.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the reality is a bit different now. Firstly, the continued absence of U.S. envoy in Azerbaijan damages U.S. foreign policy more so than it does Azerbaijan. Secondly, such absence impedes the U.S. role in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, hence damaging Armenia's interests too. Thirdly, the mentioned Senators and the ethnic lobby that influences them have expended their energy over the saga with Ambassador Bryza's nomination.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Not to mention that Barbara Boxer is likely serving her last term in the Senate, and repeated pandering to ethnic electorate is not something desirable to be remembered by. So, it is difficult to fathom that another attempt to obstruct ambassadorial appointment to Azerbaijan, based on nothing other than ethnocentric agenda, will yield fruit with the nomination of a veteran diplomat like Ambassador Morningstar.</span>
</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://www.news.az/articles/politics/61207" target="_blank">News.Az</a></span>AAChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13963359707536330679noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541412877810746316.post-73334416326699450282012-03-08T10:27:00.000-08:002012-10-16T22:40:32.404-07:00Greetings on the occasion of International Women's Day<div>
<img align="left" alt="Sample image" border="0" class="caption" height="187" src="http://www.azeris.org/images/holidays/IWD.jpg" title="Sample image" width="165" /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">On
March 8, Azerbaijanis in the U.S.
and around the world celebrate the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International%20Women%27s%20Day" target="_blank" title="wikipedia: International Women's Day">International
Women's Day</a>.(IWD). Observed for the first time in the United States in 1909, it became an
international holiday of women in Azerbaijan as well. Year 2012 marks the 101st
anniversary of the first world-wide celebration of the IWD.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Historically,
women played an important role in a traditionally Muslim Azerbaijani society.
In fact, in 1919, ahead of the United States and the United Kingdom, the Parliament of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azerbaijan%20Democratic%20Republic" target="_blank" title="wikipedia: Azerbaijan Democratic Republic">Azerbaijan
Democratic Republic</a> (ADR) voted to extend universal suffrage rights
to
women. Few years later, a Statue of Liberated Woman was erected in
capital Baku to symbolize the emancipation of women in Azerbaijani
society.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span>Modern
Azerbaijani
constitution also grants equal legal rights to women and many
Azerbaijani women take active part in the public and political life of
the nation. However,
challenges still exist due to traditional social norms and economic
inequalities which limit opportunities for women and restrict them from
full-fledged participation
in political and economic affairs.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span><span>Expressing a
hope and a commitment to help resolving these challenges, the board
directors of Azerbaijan Society of America (ASA) and Azerbaijani-American
Council (AAC) join to extend their greetings to all Azerbaijani women on
the occasion of the International Women's Day.</span></span></span></span></div>
</div>
AAChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13963359707536330679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541412877810746316.post-5021429815647210122012-02-23T19:00:00.000-08:002012-10-31T17:35:38.733-07:00Azerbaijani-Americans rally against ACR 96 in Sacramento<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=541412877810746316" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img align="left" alt="Azeri-Americans rally in Sacramento" border="0" class="caption" height="200" src="http://www.azeris.org/images/events/acr96protest/SacProtest2.JPG" style="cursor: move;" title="Azeri-Americans rally against ACR 96" width="200" /></a></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">SACRAMENTO, CA - On February 23, 2012, the Azerbaijani-American community in California, led by Azerbaijani-American Council (AAC) and Northern Azerbaijan Cultural Society of America (NACSA), held a public rally at the California State Capitol, to protest against the Assembly Concurrent Resolution (ACR) 96 under consideration in the State Assembly. Introduced by Assemblymen Felipe Fuentes (D-CA), Katcho Achadjian (R-CA), and Mike Gatto (D-CA), ACR 96 seeks to designate February 27, 2012, as a so-called "California Day of Remembrance for the Massacres of Armenians in Sumgait, Kirovabad, and Baku”.</span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fueled by the Armenian-American special interest groups, ACR 96 attempts to force California lawmakers into assuming a one-sided position in the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. While calling to honor (26) Armenian victims of the 1988 Sumgait riots on February 27, the resolution dissolutely ignores the Khojaly Massacre - a largest mass killing of the conflict according to Human Rights Watch - 20th anniversary of which is marked a day before, on February 26, 2012. On that day in 1992, Armenian forces attacked the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly and ruthlessly massacred 613 fleeing residents, including 106 women and 63 children.</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">ACR 96 text refers to the so-called “Nagorno-Karabakh Republic”, an illegitimate client regime established by Armenia after ethnic cleansing on the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. The U.S. Department of State does not recognize this entity, therefore the wording of ACR 96 contradicts the official U.S. policy as formulated by the federal government. Furthermore, the resolution distorts the historical facts by claiming that the Nagorno-Karabakh region was "severed from Armenia and forced under Soviet Azerbaijan". According to a renowned Armenian historian, Richard G. Hovanissian of the University of California Los Angeles, in 1919, a year before the Soviet occupation of the Caucasus, the government of Armenian Republic acknowledged the sovereignty of Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, as did the region’s ethnic Armenian inhabitants.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So, on Thursday afternoon, Azerbaijani-American protesters gathered in front of the California State Capitol in Sacramento while both the Assembly and the Senate were in session. The protesters chanted slogans denouncing ACR 96, calling for California lawmakers' awareness of the upcoming 20th anniversary of Khojaly Massacre as well as of the ongoing occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenian armed forces.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img align="right" alt="Azeri-Americans rally against ACR 96" border="0" class="caption" src="http://www.azeris.org/images/events/acr96protest/SacProtest1.JPG" title="Azeri-Americans rally in Sacramento" /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img align="right" alt="Azeri-Americans rally against ACR 96" border="0" class="caption" src="http://www.azeris.org/images/events/acr96protest/SacProtest4.JPG" title="Azeri-Americans rally in Sacramento" /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img align="right" alt="Azeri-Americans rally against ACR 96" border="0" class="caption" src="http://www.azeris.org/images/events/acr96protest/SacProtest3.JPG" title="Azeri-Americans rally in Sacramento" /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">PR-201202#02</span></span>AAChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13963359707536330679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541412877810746316.post-19086397626871738152011-12-27T17:30:00.000-08:002012-10-31T17:32:46.217-07:00Azerbaijani-Americans welcome the Mexican Congress resolution on Karabakh conflict<div style="width: 200px;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img align="left" alt="Chamber of Deputies" border="0" height="183" src="http://www.azeris.org/images/resized/images/logos/mexicochamberofdeputies_200_200.png" title="Chamber of Deputies (Mexico)" width="183" /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Azerbaijani-American Council (AAC) and Azerbaijan Society of America
(ASA) join all Azerbaijani-Americans in expression of gratitude to the
parliamentarians and to the people of Mexico for the resolution <a href="http://www.diputados.gob.mx/servicios/datorele/LXI_LEG/1_POS_IIIANO/08-dic-11/8e.htm" target="_blank">"Relative to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan"</a> adopted at the 36th session of the Chamber of Deputies (lower house) of the Congress of Mexico on December 8, 2011.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The resolution introduced by Deputy Marcos Pérez
Esquer in the Commission on Foreign Relations condemns the occupation of
Nagorno-Karabakh and other territories of Azerbaijan and recognizes the
suffering of Azerbaijani people, including those who perished during
the 1992 Khojaly genocide. Furthermore, the Chamber of Deputies requested Federal government to instruct Mexico's
representative at the United Nations to facilitate activities urging the
government of Armenia to comply with resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884
of the UN Security Council. The resolution of Mexican legislature also
appeals to the Republic of Armenia to cease all hostilities against
Azerbaijani civilians, to immediately withdraw its forces from the
occupied territories of Azerbaijan and to refrain from any hostile acts
that undermine regional security.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Since 1988, the people of Azerbaijan have been
subjected to the military aggression by neighboring Armenia. The
hostilities launched by Armenia in 1991-1994 resulted in nearly 30,000
civilian deaths, forceful displacement of over 1 million people and
occupation of nearly one-fifth of Azerbaijan's internationally
recognized territory by Armenian forces. During the occupation of the town of Khojaly in
February 1992, Armenian forces carried out a brutal mass killing of 613
fleeing Azerbaijani civilians, including 106 women, 63 children and 70
elders. According to Human Rights Watch, the incident was the worst
massacre of the conflict. Many suspected perpetrators of this crime
still remain in Armenia and the Armenian-occupied Azerbaijani
territories, and are yet to be brought to justice.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Armenia's expansionist policy,
which manifests itself through the utopian idea of carving "Greater
Armenia" on the territories of neighboring nations, brought this country
to a regional isolation and a brink of economic collapse. The ongoing
occupation of Azerbaijani territories was strongly denounced by various
reputable international bodies, including the United Nations, the Council of
Europe, Organization of the Islamic Conference and others. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Joining Azerbaijani-Americans, we once more welcome
the resolution adopted by the Congress of Mexico to restore justice and
to uphold the dignity and honor of the people of Azerbaijan. May this
courageous decision by the Chamber of Deputies serve as an important
beginning in an era of sincere friendship and cooperation between
Azerbaijani and Mexican people.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Azerbaijan Society of America (ASA) is the oldest non-profit grassroots organization of Azerbaijani-Americans since 1957.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Azerbaijani-American Council (AAC) is the first academic grassroots organization of Azerbaijani-Americans since 2006.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>TEXT OF THE RESOLUTION</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>"Relative to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan"<br /> </b>(Spanish original is available on the website of the Chamber of Deputies):<br /><b><a href="http://www.diputados.gob.mx/servicios/datorele/LXI_LEG/1_POS_IIIANO/08-dic-11/8e.htm" target="_blank">http://www.diputados.gob.mx/<wbr></wbr>servicios/datorele/LXI_LEG/1_<wbr></wbr>POS_IIIANO/08-dic-11/8e.htm</a></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Legislative Process:</b><br /> Proposal submitted by the Dep. Marcos Perez Esquer (PAN) on September 6, 2011. (LXI Legislature)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> Agreement:</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">FIRST .- The Chamber of Deputies of the Congress
condemns the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh territory of Azerbaijan and
the deaths, injuries and humiliation caused to residents of the Republic
of Azerbaijan, particularly those that took place during the " Khojaly
genocide ", as well as those emanated from violations of the ceasefire
established between the parties.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">SECOND .- Deeply regrets that the conflict between
Azerbaijan and Armenia remains, and that no solution was found so far
through different mechanisms implemented by stakeholders and
international agencies; calls the parties to strengthen dialogue to
resolve the conflict, considering it as the mechanism for the exchange
of views and proposals that contribute to the strengthening of
international relations at any time safeguarding the fundamental
principles of peaceful coexistence among nations, such as
self-determination of peoples, non-intervention, peaceful settlement of
disputes, prohibition of the use of force in international relations,
the legal equality of states, international cooperation for development
and the struggle for peace and international security.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">THIRD .- The Chamber of Deputies of the Congress is
calling on the Federal Executive Power, within their respective
competencies through our representation in the UN Organization, to file a
report on the humanitarian crisis prevailing in the Republic of
Azerbaijan and, within their powers, to call for an effective protection
of the human rights of civilians in that country.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">FOURTH .- The Chamber of Deputies of the Congress
respectfully requests that the Federal Executive Power, within their
respective jurisdictions, to instruct the representative of Mexico to
the United Nations Organization, to take forward action it deems
appropriate in order to urge the government of the Republic of Armenia
to comply with resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884 of the Security Council
and with those issued by the Council of Europe.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">FIFTH .- urges the Federal Executive Power, to the
extent of their competence, to present on behalf of the Mexican state to
international bodies, an appeal to the Republic of Armenia to conduct
an immediate cessation of hostilities and acts of violence against
Azerbaijani civilians, immediate withdrawal of armed forces in the
territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and interested parties to
refrain from any hostile act and interference or intervention that may
cause a wider conflict and undermine peace and security in the region.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><b> "Relativo al conflicto de Nagorno Karabaj entre Armenia y Azerbaiyán."</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> Proceso Legislativo:</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b><br /> Proposición presentada por el Dip. Marcos Pérez Esquer (PAN) el 6 de septiembre de 2011. (LXI Legislatura)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Acuerdo:</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">PRIMERO.- La Cámara de Diputados del Congreso de la
Unión condena la ocupación del territorio de Nagorno Karabaj de la
República Azerbaiyana y las muertes, lesiones y vejaciones causadas a
pobladores de la República de Azerbaiyán, particularmente, las que
tuvieron lugar en el denominado “Genocidio de Jodyalí”, así como las que
se siguen verificando a partir de la violación al pacto de cese al
fuego establecido entre las partes, con las cuales reanudaron las
hostilidades.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">SEGUNDO.- Lamenta profundamente que el conflicto
entre las Repúblicas de Azerbaiyán y Armenia subsista, y que no haya
encontrado solución a través de los distintos mecanismos puestos en
marcha por los interesados y organismos internacionales; por lo que se
exhorta a los diversos actores a fortalecer el diálogo para la solución
del conflicto, considerando a éste como el mecanismo adecuado para el
intercambio de opiniones y propuestas que coadyuven al fortalecimiento
de las relaciones internacionales; salvaguardando en todo momento los
principios fundamentales de la convivencia pacífica entre las naciones,
como son la autodeterminación de los pueblos, la no intervención, la
solución pacífica de controversias, la proscripción del uso de la fuerza
en las relaciones internacionales; la igualdad jurídica de los estados;
la cooperación internacional para el desarrollo y la lucha por la paz y
la seguridad internacional.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">TERCERO.- La Cámara de Diputados del Congreso de la
Unión, hace un llamado al titular del Poder Ejecutivo federal a fin de
que a través de nuestra representación en la Organización de Naciones,
en el ámbito de sus respectivas competencias, presente una denuncia
sobre la crisis humanitaria que prevalece en la República de Azerbaiyán,
asimismo, para que con base en sus facultades, permitan proteger con
eficacia los derechos humanos de la población civil en dicho país.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">CUARTO.- La Cámara de Diputados del Congreso de la
Unión, en el ámbito de sus respectivas competencias, solicita
respetuosamente al titular del Poder Ejecutivo federal, a que instruya a
la representación de México en la Organización de las Naciones Unidas,
para que impulse las acciones que estime pertinentes a fin de exhortar
al gobierno de la República de Armenia a acatar las resoluciones 822,
853, 874 y 884 del Consejo de Seguridad y las emitidas por el Consejo de
Europa.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">QUINTO.- Se exhorta al titular del Poder Ejecutivo
federal, a que en el ámbito de su competencia, presente a nombre del
Estado mexicano, ante los organismos internacionales competentes, un
exhorto a la República de Armenia a llevar a cabo la inmediata cesación
de las hostilidades y actos de violencia en contra de civiles
azerbaiyanos, el retiro inmediato de las fuerzas armadas en los
territorios de la República de Azerbaiyán, y a las partes interesadas a
abstenerse de todo acto hostil y de injerencia o intervención que pueda
provocar una ampliación del conflicto y socavar la paz y seguridad de la
región.</span></span></div>
AAChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13963359707536330679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-541412877810746316.post-15094939761539598192011-05-08T17:40:00.000-07:002012-10-31T17:42:28.248-07:00Nineteen years since the occupation of Shusha, peace in the Caucasus is out of reach<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=541412877810746316" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">LOS ANGELES, NEW YORK - On this day, 19
years ago, Armenian armed forces occupied the city of Shusha,
a predominantly Azerbaijani-populated town in the Mountainous
Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Established in the 18th century by
Panah-Ali Khan Javanshir Ziyadoglu as a capital of the independent
Karabakh khanate, Shusha became a cradle of
Azerbaijani Turkic culture, literature and, especially, music. In
1870s, master <a href="http://en.wikiedia.org/wiki/Sadigjan" target="_blank" title="Sadigjan">Sadigjan</a> developed the first Azeri
tar (lute) in Shusha. City's rich musical tradition also greatly
influenced <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uzeyir%20Hajibeyov" target="_blank" title="Uzeyir Hajibeyov">Uzeyir Hajibeyov</a>, the
patriarch of Azerbaijani classical music and opera, first of its kind in
the Muslim world. Many other prominent figures, including Bül-Bül
(founder of Azerbaijani opera vocal); Jabbar Garyaghdy oglu
(Azerbaijani Mugham Art virtuoso); singer Rashid Behbudov; composers
Ashraf Abbasov, Suleyman Alasgarov, Fikret Amirov, Farhad Badalbeyli,
Seyid and Khan Shushinski; writers Abdurrehim bey Hagverdiyev,
Mirmohsum Navvab, Najaf bey Vezirov; 19-th century poetess Khurshudbanu
Natavan; and one of the prominent public figures of Turkish Republic, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmet%20Agaoglu" target="_blank" title="Ahmet Agaoglu">Ahmet Agaoglu</a>, also originated from Shusha.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.zazzle.com/aac_postage_shusha_azerbaijan-172496192001757895?gl=aacouncil&denomination=44&size=medium&mode=fit&CMPN=EmailProductPagePublic&rf=238650810255247026" target="_blank" title="AAC Postage: Shusha, Azerbaijan"><img align="right" border="0" height="189" src="http://rlv.zcache.com/img/imt-prd/isz-m/pd-172496192001757895/tl-aac_postage_shusha_azerbaijan.jpg?denomination=44&size=medium&mode=fit" width="115" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As in other occupied regions of
Azerbaijan, upon the fall of Shusha in 1992,
Armenian forces brutally displaced and ethnically cleansed its entire
Azerbaijani population numbering in tens of thousands. Furthermore,
the Armenian forces engaged in the destruction of Azerbaijani
historical landmarks in Shusha, such as the famous
Govharagha Mosque, the museum-house of Uzeyir Hajibayov, and the
memorial of Natavan. Despite the attempts to erase any trace of
Azerbaijani identity in the occupied city, today Shusha is largely a
ghost town and a tragic witness to irredentism in 21st century.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Over the years, the memory of Shusha
remained a fundamental part of contemporary Azerbaijani identity. In
June 2009, AAC introduced the first-ever U.S. postage stamp and a
t-shirt depicting the original 19th century coat of arms of Shusha. The
stamp is approved for sale by the United States Postal Service (USPS)
vendor and both products can be obtained via AAC store online:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.zazzle.com/aacouncil" target="_blank" title="AAC Store"><b>http://www.zazzle.com/<wbr></wbr>aacouncil</b></a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">AAC and ASA call upon all friends of
Azerbaijan
in the US to disseminate the stamp promoting Shusha's Azerbaijani
history.
On behalf of concerned Azerbaijani- and Turkic-Americans, we also
appeal to the U.S. public officials and media to denounce the
occupation and ethnic cleansing of Shusha and other occupied regions of
Azerbaijan. The ongoing military occupation of Karabakh by Armenian
forces not only imperils the rich cultural heritage of the Caucasus,
but also jeopardizes the peace prospects in the region.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">______________________________<wbr></wbr>______________________________</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>ASA</i><i> is the oldest grassroots organization
uniting Azerbaijani-Americans since 1957, and the only Azeri-American
community organization cited in the 1980 Harvard Encyclopedia of American
Ethnic Groups</i> </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>AAC</i><i> is the first academic grassroots
organization of Azeri-Americans since 2006.</i></b></span></span></div>
AAChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13963359707536330679noreply@blogger.com0