Karabakh conflict must be promoted to problem of Islamic world: Russian public figure

Day.Az: In various interviews and articles you have expressed your opinion about Karabakh conflict on numerous occasions. How do you assess the latest developments around the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict? Is there real progress in resolving the conflict, or this is nothing but unreasonable optimistic statements by the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group?

Heydar Jamal:  Regular tough statements by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is an important step in the development of Azerbaijan's position on the situation around Karabakh. This is very important. Separately, I would like to note Russia's role in resolving the conflict. It has not a significant factor of influence on Armenia in recent times. In the Armenian political circles significance of American factor has sharply increased and Iran remains main partner of Armenia. It should be clear that neither Iran nor Russia and the United States has real interest in solution to the Karabakh issue as the tension around this theme in combination with simulation of peacekeeping efforts allows to exert pressure on Baku and Yerevan.

In fact, the issue must be addressed strategically in two ways. It is necessary to promote Karabakh problem to the problem of entire Islamic world on the model of Palestine. This requires to start a program of consistent limiting relations with Israel.

On the other hand, this requites development of theme of the Confederation of the Greater Caucasus (without specifying its future borders, but with the exception of any territorial claims against Iran and Turkey). The Confederation of the Greater Caucasus as a new element of Islamic political space in the future post-crisis world is the way to a radical resolution of, first of all, the Armenian issue in the region, without which you can not solve the Karabakh problem.

Q: The issue of teaching religion in schools has been raised in Russia and Azerbaijan on numerous occasions. Is this subject is necessary in general schools and how then it should be taught?

A: I am against state’s undertaking prerogative to teach and interpret the religion. This is not up the education ministry.

Q: We know that you have excellent understanding of the internal situation in Iran as once you were friendly with Ahmad, the son of Ayatollah Khomeini and you  regularly visited Iran and shot a film about this country.  How can you describe the latest developments in Iran? I mean the scandalous election of Ahmadinejad and the thousands for rallies of people unhappy with election results among which there were many local Azerbaijanis.

A: As far as I know, the unrest in Iran was caused by noisy disgruntled minority. The poor, the disadvantaged sectors of the city, veterans and families of martyrs who support Ahmadinejad constitute 68 percent. I do not rule out the possibility of provoking a civil war, but the liberals  will lose it, which obviously American patrons do not understand it.

Q: The events that we have recently witnessed in the north-west of China, in Urumqi are mainly described as confrontation between of ethnic Uighurs and Chinese. Does religious factor play role in this matter? I mean ethnic groups who worship different religions.

A: Events in China are provoked by Americans in a bid to cause tension in the relations of China and Turkey which patronizes Uighurs. This is done to encourage China to Iran and thereby weaken the prospects for the Iran-Turkey union and on the other hand to create a military bloc based on SCO which would motivate NATO and would replace the missing Warsaw Pact.

Of course, Uighurs are only element of the strategy. Another element is the reformatting Japan as a military partner of India and Australia and the creation of a large anti-China bloc as NATO partner in the Pacific Ocean.

/Day.Az/