Azeri journalists visit Armenia

The representatives of Azerbaijan and Turkey have been in Armenia since November 27. The visit has been organized by civic movement "Alternative Start" according to which it is the fourth power that forms the society, thus it is necessary to organize a dialogue between Armenia, Turkey and Azerbaijan on the level of the journalists.

Representative of the Embassy of Great Britain who supported the organization of the visit, mentioned that today the following principle is applied, "We speak about each other, but not with each other" which is supposed to change the philosophy of the meetings. The guests are to meet students and journalists.

The Azeri journalists agreed that until now suchlike meetings and visits have been organized in Armenia only. "Before 2001-2002 Armenians used to visit Baku where meetings were organized. During the last meeting over 30 Armenians came. I don't know what happened, but after Heydar Aliyev there were changes for the worse," mentioned writer Alekper Aliyev. He also added that "the image of an enemy has not yet been eliminated."

Correspondent of newspaper "Anatolia" and radio TRT Nursul Erel represented a report about the situation of the press and answered the questions of the journalists.

First she tried to prove via a historical flashback that press has a long history in Turkey, and then by the example of the covering of the Armenian Genocide she tried to prove that there are no restrictions on freedom of speech in the Turkish press.

The representative of Turkey has her own opinion on that historical fact. "I personally think that there has been such a tragedy, but it should not become a mania." According to Mrs. Erel, she was glad to hear about the letter of Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan to the RA Prime Minister asking to create a joint committee of historians in order to investigate the documentation concerning the Genocide. "Don't you think it would be nice for historians to investigate the issue?", the representative of Turkey asked the Armenian journalists with a naivete not peculiar to journalists.

She also mentioned that she visited Armenia in 2001 and paid a visit to the Museum of Armenian Genocide, and if there were a chance, she would like to go there again. A1+