Adil Baghirov: "Secret of success of Armenians' propaganda is simple: they speak of 1915 "genocide" constantly, every day"

-World Armenians mark the anniversary of what they call "the genocide" of 1915 on April 24. How do US Armenians prepare for this event within a year?

-You are right. Indeed throughout the whole year Armenians focus on preparations for the day of 1915 "genocide". The Armenian diaspora arranges numerous street rallies and protests on this day in the United States, in particular, in front of the Turkish embassy to the United States in Washington, in front of the Turkey's Consulate in Los-Angeles.

Moreover, on this day films are transmitted by US TV channels about the Armenian version of the 1915 events in Osman Turkey, articles are published on this topic both in the Armenian US press as well as the overall US press, lectures and presentations are arranged with leaflets issued on this topic in various universities of the United States.

Considering the strong Armenian diaspora in the United States, the effect of actions on this day is very strong, considering that such propaganda actions have been carried out by the Armenian diaspora beginning from the 1960s.

- Is it possible to say that in the result of work carried out by the Armenian diapora, an average American has fully agreed with the Armenian version of the 1915 events?

-I would like to say that in fact an average American has no idea of the details of the events, which occured in Osman Turkey nearly a century ago. Though, we should confess, that when Armenia and "genocide" is spoken of in the United States, this "genocide" is regarded as one that had taken place in real. The secret of success of this propaganda is simple: Armenians speak of "genocide" every day.

In particular, one of the leaders of Armenian diaspora in California told me in the 1990s that the "genocide" of 1915 is a subject, Armenians discuss during breakfact, lunch and dinner.

Practice shows that nothing of the kind is observed in case of the Azerbaijani and Turkish diaspora groups of the United States. We prefer to focus on positive not tragic events of the history of our people. But practice shows that people, in particular, in the United States attach special importance to tragic events. In the result, the announcements about tragic events and their analysis affects the society. Perhaps, this is the reason of success of Armenian lobby in imposing their version of the 1915 events on the US society.

Naturally, we have made conclusions from what we have and we work to neutralize the success of Armenian diaspora in this direction.

-Is there a hope that consolidating Azerbaijani diaspora of the United States will manage to neutralize the effect of such propaganda actions of the Armenian diaspora and attain similar influence in the United States?

-You were right to mention that the Azerbaijani diaspora of the United States is consolidating. Being in constant contact and cooperation with the Turkish diaspora and diaspora groups of other countries in the United States, our diaspora becomes stronger, more informed and prepared.

Yes, we conduct numerous arrangements, expand field of our activity, but we should not forget that Armenians have carried out such work for already 50 years, while Azerbaijani and Turkish Diaspora groups started to work in this direction in the early 1990s and intensified their activity only in the late 1990s. In other words, Armenians have an advantage in the sense of propaganda.

Despite this and despite the numeral superiority of the US Armenian diaspora before the Azerbaijani and Turkish diaspora groups, the facts, demonstrating the real success of our diaspora groups, do exist at the moment. These achievements should be considered in the context of strengthening positions of Azerbaijan and Turkey in the world. And I am sure that this will have a positive effect. However, this might not occur in a couple of years. We should work much to neutralize the results of long activity of the Armenian diaspora in the United States and to turn the balance in our favor.

-The example of the work of your organization demonstrates the achievements, people loving Azerbaijan and living beyond its bounds, can reach. In this connection, a question arises about the need for such organization of the State Committee for work with Azerbaijanis, residing abroad.

To answer this question it is necessary to take a trip to a recent past. I think, the overall success of the Azerbaijani diaspora and its achievements in resistance to Armenian diaspora grew after the committee was founded. Moreover, it should be noted that each country has its own pecularities. In particular, for the CIS countries, such state committees and active role of the state in strengthening positions of compatriots are crucial.

As for the United States, it is sometimes not impossible to reach success there, as the United States is a large, multinational, multi-religious country, where a diaspora, in this case, the Azerbaijani diaspora should reckon on its own powers to strengthen positions. Our diaspora has recently managed to establish ways of work with the US community, ways of strengthening our own positions, informing Americans about our interpretation of the events, which occured in the modern history of Azerbaijan.

In other words, in a number of moments, the role of the Azerbaijani state can not rival the role of Azerbaijanis, residing in the United States, as to informing the Americans about any events in our modern history or in the history, which Armenian diaspora of the United States tries to interpret differently.

Therefore, we have no other way out except for basing on our own powers and work in favor of both Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis, residing in the United States.

/Day.Az/