Diaspora

The State Committee of Azerbaijan for Work with Diaspora has shed light on reports of the liquidation of the All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress.

“Media reports that the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation has appealed to the Supreme Court for the liquidation of the All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress has caused a lot of concern in Azerbaijan as well as among the millions-strong Azerbaijani diaspora in Russia,” the Committee told APA on Monday.

In its statement, the Committee said: “Created with the support of Azerbaijani national leader Heydar Aliyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2001, the All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress has over the past period done a lot for Azerbaijanis in Russia in building relations with each other, their integration into Russian society, and the development of Azerbaijan-Russia bilateral ties.

“The congress has initiated a number of successful projects aimed at raising awareness in Russia of the Azerbaijani realities, having our cultural heritage recognized, and strengthening national solidarity among our fellow countrymen and women,” said the Committee. “Having succeeded in building efficient cooperation between relevant state bodies of Azerbaijan and Russia, the Congress has strived to further deepen strategic partnership relations between our countries, relying on centuries-old traditions of friendship connecting our peoples. It is no coincidence that at the second meeting of the Congress, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered long speeches, praising the organization’s work and the role of bilateral ties in development. This is a clear manifestation of the high value the two states give to the Congress.”

The Committee further stressed that the All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress has always tried to carry out its activities in accordance with Russia’s laws, making efforts to contribute to the strengthening of religious and ethnic tolerance in the country and the deepening of interracial friendship and intercultural dialogue. The Congress has always demonstrated a principled and coherent position as a supporter of economic progress and socio-political stability. Russia's national and state interests have been the main and invariable priorities of the organization.

All this clearly shows that the possible liquidation of the All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress against the backdrop of complex and contradictory processes taking place in the world and the region does not serve the interests of both countries, added Azerbaijan’s State Committee.

“The liquidation of the All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress or initiatives aimed at harming the organization’s reputation run contrary to the centuries-old friendship traditions based on mutual trust, as well as the spirit of strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Russia and can serve the interests of forces that stand against the development of these relations,” said the Committee’s statement.

“The Azerbaijani public, as well as the millions-strong Azerbaijani community in Russia are hopeful that Russia’s relevant authorities will take an objective, fair decision meeting the national interests of the two countries, and the All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress, as an organization playing an important in the development of bilateral relations, will continue its successful activities in strengthening cultural and spiritual unity among our compatriots and will contribute to the strengthening of the friendship between Azerbaijan and Russia,” concluded the State Committee.

The Russian Ministry of Justice appealed to the country’s Supreme Court to liquidate the All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress. The All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress in its activity allegedly violated the legislation of the Russian Federation.