Rustam Ibrahimbekov: "Being a citizen and intellectual, I do not regard the whole Armenian people as the enemy of Azerbaijani people"

- I will put a direct question: has Ukrainian film director of Armenian origin Roman Balayan, who shot a film "Birds of Heaven" by your script ever displayed his negative attitude towards Azerbaijani people?

- Never and nowhere! I have been acquainted with Roman Balayan since mid 1970s and I can take whole responsibility for saying that he has always spoken of his love to Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis.

My Armenian friend and prominent writer Grant Matevosyan had the same opinion and he had never voiced any anti-Azerbaijani statements, but he was deeply upset with the conflict between our countries.

I am sure that we should differ from the Armenian leadership, which advocates thesis of genetic incompatibility of Armenians and Azerbaijanis. We need to prove that we teach our children not to hatred towards neighor countries but to love to our native country.

- How then would you comment on the fact that your statement according to which not Armenian people but the Armenian leadership, army and policy of Armenia are our enemy was critically greeted in the society?

- As far as I know, it was Yeni Musavat newspaper which voiced sharp criticism of my civil position. But I want to know what have all, suffering from neo-Bolshevism done for Azerbaijan, demonstrating firm hatred towards different opinions and criticizing my statements? Where were they when I wrote the play "Ultimatum" in 1982? Where were they when in the hardest moments of Azerbaijan I have been took part in improving relations between the then-working leadership of the country in the face of Ayaz Mutallibov and Popular Front?

I say all this because I am confident that it would be good for those who criticize me to recall the phrase: "Before preaching, you should respect commandments".

As is known, Azerbaijan and Armenia are in a state of war due to occupation of 20% lands of our country. The very fact of occupation of the territory of one country by another, as well as the failure of the occupied country, in this case, Armenia, to agree to free the lands, recognized as part of Azerbaijan by all international organizations and world society, evidence the occupational policy of the Armenian leadership.

I am sure that Azerbaijan will never reconcile with the loss of its native lands, who are currently under occupation and will use both diplomatic and, if needed, military ways for returning of its lands.

At the same time, being a citizen and an intellectual, I do not consider the whole Armenian people to be our enemy. Admitting the existence of conflict between our states, I reject the conflict between the Armenian and Azerbaijani people. I bow my head before the victims of bloody and the most brutal massacre of civilians in Khojaly, before the memory of all our compatriots, falling victims of conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

But, believe me, many Armenians, who were obliged to leave Azerbaijan but continue to consider our country their motherland and hope to return here as soon as possible, also suffered from this conflict. Moreover, it is fascists who support thesis about a conflict between peoples.

In this connection, I regret that Robert KOcharyan, who voiced fascist thesis about genetic incompatibility of the Armenian and Azerbaijani people, has been leading Armenia.

Believe me, I would not want some representatives of Azerbaijani people, who is famous for its tolerance, to come down to voicing such a thesis.

- Which can be the political outcomes of dissemination of your critics' thesis by the Armenian side for Azerbaijan?

- The most negative. For, as you have mentioned, this is merely a politically incorrect position. Let's see: the Armenian leadership in an attempt to protract the just resolution of Nagorno Karabakh conflict, voices thesis that there are no guarantees to security of Armenian population of Nagorno Karabakh in case Azerbaijani lands return to us.

Unfortunately, instead of proving these statements of the Armenian leadership unfounded, some representatives of our side made statements, whose dissemination is profitable for the Armenian leadership to argue the thesis they declare, either on purpose or by their foolishness.

These local jingo undermine the peaceful resolution of Nagorno Karabakh conflict with their statements. I would recommend them to learn more and recall that any conflicts have both the beginning and the end, and to persuade them, I want to remind them of centuries of wars in Europe, which do not hamper the current peaceful and respectful attitude between the people, involved in them.

/Day.Az/