Adil Baghirov: "McCain's candidacy for the US President is the most favorable for Azerbaijan, while Obama's is the least"

-Armenians do not hide their optimism about possible soonest recognition of the so-called "Armenian genocide" by the United States. Can it occur soon?

-As you know, the working president of the United States did not recognize the "genocide" and did not even display signs for it. But Armenians really continue their activity in the direction of the recognition of "genocide", which was recognized by 37 out of 50 states! Armenians strive for raising this issue in the Federal congress in Washington after "genocide" is recognized by all states. In this case, little would depend on Bush, if exactly, on the next president. They can attain adoption of any resolution in the Congress (for example, the speaker of the House of Representatives N.Pelosi is too pro-Armenian). For example, resolution 106, which they try to pass for several years, is in fact non-obligatory and does not go for signing by the President, yet in fact they may fully ignore the opinion of the President.

Yet, they have not done it before, as the President could have put pressure on the Congress and persuade it not to pass the careless decisions.

But I do not rule out that in the future Armenians, attaining recognition of the "genocide" in the remaining states, may put pressure on the congressmen and administration and attain the desired. Thus, this is a matter of time and will depend on the active reaction of our Diasporas on the actions of the Armenian side.

-Will the Azerbaijani and Turkish Diaspora groups be able to resist these attempts of Armenians?

-Certainly, this is difficult. At the same time, our diaspora groups have become stronger than previously. Naturally, Armenians are also not idle, but they develop more slowly than we do, though our Diasporas do not have the potential, they have. In the principle, we will not be able to catch up with them in the near future. Therefore, we hope for the effective and joint work of our Diasporas and our states. Today, both Turkey and Azerbaijan and developing rapidly, our countries' economies are growing, their weight, importance and role are consolidating on the international arena. The economies of the Turkic states-Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and others- may soon reach $1 trillion by the end of the decade, which is a positive and important factor.

Anyway, as I have mentioned, our Diasporas and states will have to work conjointly, as far as it is possible. In part, for this purpose, we have created the US Azeris' Network and then, using this model, a new organization, aimed to unite all Turkic communities and organizations of the United States. Being a purely political project, it will help strengthen and improve efforts of the Turkic diasporas in the United States.

-Meanwhile, the Armenians' efforts are supported by some participants of the current presidential racing in the United States. In particular, candidate for president. senator Barak Obama announced that he will continue insisting on the recognition of the "genocide of Armenians". Do you think this is just a traditional PR trick or something more serious?

-Many consider this to be a PR trick, but I do not share this view. I think this announcement is too serious. Undoubtedly, Obama is more on the Armenian side. This is not his fault, this is our omission, as we do not have so many professors, scientists, politicians and businessmen in the United States and we can not react to different challenges in the same organized way, as Armenians do.

But we are learning and in this sense I am still optimistic. For example, within some four months US Azeris' Network has sent 33,000 letters on urgent issues to e-mails and faxes of the Congress and all official channels of the United States, published five articles in the US press, receives tens of letters from congressmen and senators, thanking us for our activeness and voicing support on many issues. In other words, we managed to do a lot within a short period of time. This proves that one may attain any task set, which simply needs the joint and organized work of people in one direction.

-Do you expect any changes in the Azerbaijani-American relations depending on the result of the presidential elections in the United States? And, on the whole, does the Azerbaijani diaspora in the United States have its own candidate? For example, the Armenian national committee of the United States declared support for the candidate from the Democratic Party Barak Obama.

-Our organization supported John McCain and we voiced support for him and explained the reason on our website. This war done in early February before the primaries. At the same time, we voiced definite critical remarks addressed to Obama, for listening too often to his pro-Armenian advisers, in particular, Samantha Powers. Therefore, we welcomed her dismissal from the position of the external affairs adviser. I would remind that she had to leave under pressure of the community, after she called H.Clinton a monster. Powers was a one, who managed to persuade Obama, that the "Armenian genocide" really took place. She is a professor of the Harvard University and also a laureate of the Pulitzer premium for book on genocides, which paid much attention to the so-called "genocide of Armenians".

For us, the victory of John McCain will be most favorable, the second is Clinton and Obama is the last. I would repeat that the pro-Armenian position of Obama is not his fault. This is the fault of all of us, residing in the United States, our diaspora,which could not mobilize its force, arrange itself the way the Armenian diaspora does. But, fortunately, the work in this direction is underway. I would repeat that I am too optimistic about it. I think, we have attained great achievements through the recent months and if we continue strengthening efforts, we will gain success. I think, we will strengthen our role and place in the US political life before November 3.

/Day.Az/