Javanshir Quliyev: "Azerbaijan does not have so many people of Rustam Ibrahimbekov's level for their statements to become a subject of unjust criticism"

- How would you comment on the fact that a number of local mass medias criticized the chairman of the Azerbaijan Cinematographers Union Rustam Ibrahimbekov who stated that not Armenian people but their leadership, army and policy are our enemies?

- First of all, there are not so many people of Rustam Ibrahimbekov's level in Azerbaijan for their statements to become a subject of unjust criticism.

As for your question, I agree with Rustam Ibrahimbekov that the whole people can not be the enemy of another people. In this case, it is possible to say that  indeed not the Armenian people by their leadership, which conducts the occupation policy towards our country, is our enemy.

We should not forget that many Armenians openly criticize the actions of the working leadership of Armenia, calling to review relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan. Moreover, there are great many of Armenians, living outside Armenia, who have never demonstrated their hatred towards Azerbaijan and its people and perceived the conflict between our countries as their personal tragedy. In other words, each case is individual and it is incorrect to regard all representatives of the nation as our enemies.

- How do assess the fact that Ukrainian film director of Armenian ethnicity Roman Balayan shot a film "Birds of Heaven", based on Rustam Ibrahimbekov's script?

- I take it normally. This is an ordinary cooperation of two art figures. According to opponents of such kinds of contacts, Azerbaijani physical scientist will have to reject participation in the project of his Armenian colleague. I think to support such ideas means to return to Middle Ages.

But if there are such views in Azerbaijan of the 21st century, it is not excluded that I will also be criticized, as I have cooperated with great film director Sergey Parajanov.

Those, who have turned into jigno and controller of contacts between Azerbaijanis and Armenians, should ponder over the consequences, their statements may have for Azerbaijan in the eyes of the world society. I think their statement will bring nothing positive to Azerbaijan, as we will return Nagorno Karabakh sooner or later but we will not be able to escape the co-existence with Armenians in one and the same region. It means we should not only benefit  from the really fascist statements of the Armenian leadership about the genetic incompatibility of Armenians and Azerbaijan but also to avert such statements, as they  affect Azerbaijan's positions in the issue of Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement.

- You have mentioned your cooperation with Soviet film director of the Armenian ethnicity Sergey Parajanov, who arrived in Azerbaijan at the height of Nagorno Karabakh conflict to shoot the film  Ashig Kerib". How did the Armenian society of that time react to Sergey Parajanov's choice?

- Similarly as on the statements of Rustam Ibrahimbekov, though Armenians went further in demonstrating their hatred towards Sergey Parajanov. Particularly, as he said to me, they burnt his scarecrow at one of the meeting for shooting "a Muslim film".

- What do you remember of the cooperation with this film director and what was his attitude to Azerbaijan?

- I have the most kind remembrances of cooperation with Sergey Parajanov. He was the real professional of his art and a nice person. s for his attitude towards Azerbaijan, it did not differ from his attitude towards other countries of the former USSR, which he visited. He also had friends in our capital.

Moreover, he always had a tape of Alim Qasimov's songs on him, which he listened with tears in his eyes. But the most surprising is that he lived and worked in Baku for a month three months after the Sumgayit events of 1988. He stayed in the Azerbaijan hotel, current Hyatt Regency.

Though surprising, Azerbaijan's attitude towards Parajanov in 1988, when Nagorno Karabakh conflict was starting, was better than to Rustam Ibrahimbekov, who "dared" to remain honest and have his own point of view, in the present-day Azerbaijan. At least, one can come to such a conclusion while analyzing the reaction of a number of mass media to correct and brave announcement of this person.

- What is behind these unwise statements of some of our public representatives, stating impossibility of contacts between Azerbaijanis and Armenians?

- I think it lies in political short-sightedness and their being unaware of the processes, currently ongoing in the world. I would recommend them to go abroad to expand their outlook.

Moreover, such criticism is used by people, experiencing banal envy to the courage of expressing one's thoughts, to the status and talent of the objects of their criticism. It is not for me to judge whether it is true or not, but envy can also be the cause of it.

/Day.Az/

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