Top official:'Independent activity of the Internet is its main value, and any society should fully benefit from that'

Azerbaijan's principled and consistent position is to create any conditions to fully ensure freedom of the Internet, Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Political Analysis and Information Provision Department head Elnur Aslanov said, commenting on European Commission Vice President Neelie Kroes's statement on control over the internet and electronic media in Azerbaijan and restrictions on their dissemination.

"The Internet Governance Forum, organized jointly by the UN and the Azerbaijani government, is a reaffirmation of importance that the Azerbaijani state attaches to the Internet and its free use," Aslanov said, noting that it is due to the fact that the Internet has become an integral part of human activity, an essential source of human development and innovation.

"Independent activity of the Internet is its main value, and any society, both official authorities and institutions of civil society, should fully benefit from that," he said.

According to Aslanov, European Commission Vice President's statement contradicts Azerbaijan's intentions and activities and causes fair questions about the purpose of that statement.

"Compared to most world countries, Azerbaijan holds high rank among countries whose citizens have internet access (65 percent)," he said.

Rise of this figure in the near future is inevitable due to the steady increase in living standards of the population and development of the human factor.

"Every day, opportunities for getting information are expanding. However, the information that the European institution's official refers to, proceeds from a biased position. It is necessary to communicate in the field of electronic media not only with people with opposition views, but also with various media representatives, regardless of their political positions for correct evaluation of the objective reality. Unfortunately, some European officials forget about this principle," Aslanov said.

He underlined that unlike some Western countries, Azerbaijan spends available financial resources for projects aimed at socio-economic development of the country, instead of tracking and getting information online through espionage.

"This is a guarantee for the future prosperity of Azerbaijan, possessing computer technologies by citizens through obtaining wide opportunities. Azerbaijan has no "Echelon" system, but there are development programs aimed at the future," Aslanov said.

According to Aslanov, free access to the Internet sites and free expression of thoughts by citizens on social networks has a significant impact on the relations between the state and citizens.

He believes that imposing bans and censorship towards the Internet in different countries eventually led to weakening of public confidence in the state structures and has proved to be ineffective. Applying new technologies provides an opportunity to get necessary information overcoming such obstacles.

"We have always been against restrictions in the Internet and today we adhere to this position. One of the important functions of the Internet is to ensure communication between state structures and citizens through electronic technology. Due to the fact that freedom of citizens is the essence of liberal democracy, free access to the Internet resources conditions emergence of a new concept "online citizenship." Azerbaijan, being committed to democratic principles and integrating into the European institutions benefiting the new capabilities of the Internet, is preparing a new period of its economic, political and social development. Future development concepts, on which Azerbaijani experts work, define development of the human factor as the main criterion. Our future is directly associated with mastering of technological progress of the modern period by our citizens," Aslanov said.


/Trend/