ANCA Protests Azerbaijani Ambassador’s Anti-Armenian Remark at AIPAC
By Weekly Staff // Posted on March 12, 2013 in News // 17 Comments // 
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WASHINGTON—The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), giving voice to the Armenian-American community’s growing alarm over anti-Armenian tirades by Azerbaijani leaders and diplomats, officially registered a protest this week with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) regarding remarks made by Azerbaijani Ambassador to the United States Elin Suleymanov at the organization’s recently concluded annual conference.
Azerbaijani Ambassador to the U.S. Elin Suleymanov
According to news reports, Suleymanov, during a breakout session at the AIPAC Policy conference titled “New Allies: Israel and the Caucasus Region,” threatened supporters of Israel not to “fall under the influence of pro-Armenian lobby groups.”
In the March 7 ANCA letter, Executive Director Aram Hamparian explained that “Strengthening the relationship between the United States and Israel need not involve support for dictatorial regimes. Nor should supporting Israel require providing a platform for those, like Ambassador Suleymanov, who engage in the very sort of hateful, conspiratorial rants that have, for far too long, been used to demonize Israel and her supporters worldwide.”
Hamparian specifically asked AIPAC to “reevaluate the moral and practical dimensions of your organization’s association with Azerbaijan’s war-mongering president, Ilham Aliyev, a dictator who, echoing the venomous Holocaust-era rants of Adolf Hitler against Jews, has announced openly that “all the Armenians of the world” are his enemies.” Hamparian added that Aliyev, by saying that “Armenia as a country is of no value…it is actually a colony, an outpost run from abroad, a territory artificially created on ancient Azerbaijani lands,” was “attacking Armenia’s very right to exist in language chillingly similar to those who seek to destroy Israel.”
I dont understand ANCA’s disagreement with our ambassador’s words — other then the fact that we are enemies, and you are trying to harm us anyway you can. Which is fine. Except the BS part. And it is BS to somehow think that the ambassador was unjustified in his words. In its basic logical form, here is what he is saying:
Azerb is Israel’s ally, incurring Iran’s wrath and Russia’s disapproval; Armenia is a Russian/Iranian ally — so dear AIPAC, know your friends! And don’t take our friendship for granted. We expect you to recipricicate.
The rest of what Mr. Hamaprian saying (e.g., comparing ALiyev to Hitler) is rather silly. I know he is a lobbysts., But a good lobbyist can do what he does without looking silly in the process. Yes, distort Aliyev’s position, twist around his words — fine, that is what enemies do. Fine, fine. But do it professionally, without being too obvious and transparent. E.g., does he really expect his Israeli audience to forget about the tangible things Azb is doing for Israel, AND believe the empty words of a friend’s enemy? Of course, not.
Armenians are desperate. They see that we are building a very strong set of alliances. They see IRan war coming, and Azb being positioned to take advantage of it. Out of desperation, they resort to silly tactics.
“Armenians are desperate. They see that we are building a very strong set of alliances. They see IRan war coming, and Azb being positioned to take advantage of it. Out of desperation, they resort to silly tactics.”
Really? Desperate is having the Azeri army destroy 1000 year old Armenian cemetary monumnets just to pretend that no Armenians were ever there.
Your country is so weak that it has a thief liar dictator that steals all your people blind and pretends that the Armenians are the enemy just so to deflect the truth and the eventual back lash of its people…
Get this straight: You savage people started the war and lost. Start another one and this time you will lose big time and your thief liar dictator just might get over thrown and yes more Armenian lands will be liberated..
P.S Israel can care less about your people and country…
Azerbaijan is engaging in information war against Armenia, and ANCA is responding. The battleground in this case is AIPAC. I don’t see anything unexpected in ANCA’s actions.
Which brings me to you, Kerim. Are you participating in this information warfare on your own, or you are hired by the Azerbaijani government do it?
According to wikileaks, the Azeri government has a special fund devoted exactly to anti-Armenian information warfare. If you look at editing history on Wikipedia, for example, it’s clear that Azerbaijan has hired and organized bunch of Azeri users to push its point of view on that website. These guys operate 24 hours a day, it’s like a full-time job.
Kerim,
Aliyev has left a long trail of anti-Armenian rhetoric over the years. He has made explicit comments regarding Armenians everywhere, threatened war, claimed there should not be an Armenia. Yet at the same time one hears from the Azeri leadership how Azerbaijan is a tolerant, peaceful and non-racist county. Aliyev, as the leader of the country, has been setting an example of intollerance and hatred towards another group. His support of the axe-killer is the explicit example.
Part of all this hysterical anti-Armenian shouting from Aliyev is to keep his country focused away from his regime and corruption that’s hurting the people. If you want to see desperation, you can find one closer to home. You can see this will the protests that have been springing up lately.
Facts: Azerbaijan is anti-Armenian, AIPAC is anti-Armenian. Is anyone truly surprised by this?
Kerim: “They see IRan war coming, and Azb being positioned to take advantage of it. Out of desperation, they resort to silly tactics.”
If and when Iran war comes, noone in the region will be at advantage, and the least of them Azb. Iran is not impoverished Iraq or Afghanistan. And if Azb allies with open enemies of Iran in the war, it’s not far fetched to say that Azb will ceise to be a country in any modern sense of the word in quick order.
And the rest of your posted is rather twisted as well. Noone needs or cares about Azb beyond its oil. Israel takes a lot of heat for partnering with Azb, and it definately doesn’t need Azb dictating it what to do. It’s rather obvious that Azb is trying to use its natural resources to sway opinions its way. And what Khachikyan says, is that it tarnishes the image of Israel and proisraeli groups to give a platform to a dicatatorial regime, that uses it to threaten and blame others for something that it does just by this same blame (essentially what the ambassador says is “plese fall under our influence, not of our enemy” – hypocritical at best).
Israel is no one’s ally but its own. Israelis are master manipulators and experts in turning countries against one another for self-interest and profits. They were selling arms to both Iran and Iraq during the eight-year war between these two countries because they not only made tons of money from selling weapons but they also made both their arch enemies weak in the process.
Israel is now playing the same game with Turkey and Axerbaijan. Israel is neither Turkey’s nor Axerbaijan’s ally. Israel is its own ally only. Up until a few years ago, the Israeli Zionist lobby with major influence in the US politics was actively involved in helping Turkey to defeat Armenian Genocide resolutions in return for using the Turkish airspace to spy on the Arabs and share counter-Arab intelligence. Now, because of the recent flotilla incident and fairly friendly relations between Turkey and Iran and, to get back and strike at Turkey, Israel has been threatening Turkey to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide. Furthermore, Israel has also gotten close to Axerbaijan for several reasons, none of which has to do with being an ally: 1) To create a division between Turkey and Axerbaijan for Turkey’s rather friendly relations with Iran, an arch enemy of both Israel and Axerbaijan, in attempts to make Turkey give up on its demands from Israel and give up on its friendly ties with Iran, 2) Take advantage of Axerbaijani oil at dirt cheap prices, 3) Sell arms to Axerbaijan, worth in billions of dollars, to make profit, 4) To use the Axerbaijani proximity to Iran by establishing a military base inside Axerbaijan in preparation to attack Iran to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Let’s get serious and stop being so delusional. How can Israel and Axerbaijan be allies when the majority of the Muslim world is up in arms and not only does NOT recognize the state of Israel but advocates its destruction while Axerbaijan never shies away from publicly seeking the endorsement of the artificial stand of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) against the legitimate rights of the Armenians while keeping quiet on the Israeli-Palestinian affairs which the very same OIC organization has condemned Israel.
As the old saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Iran and Axerbaijan are enemies and Israel is taking advantage of their animosity in its favor to hit back at its arch enemy Iran. The fact that Armenia is a Russian ally is nothing new. The fact that Armenia has close relations with Iran economically does in NO way make Armenia and Israel adversaries. Israel understands that Armenia has been illegally blockaded by Turkey and Axerbaijan and that Armenia’s close relations with Iran are of NO threat to Israel at all. The hopeless, desperate, belligerent and racist Axerbaijani criminals, as usual, are trying to portray Armenia in a different light to Israel to score political points. But rest-assured the Israelis are not stupid and know where Armenia stands in relations to them.
The only concern Israelis have about Armenia is the worldwide recognition of the Armenian Genocide of 1915, the first Genocide of the 20th century, which will overshadow their unique victim status in the world. It is through such victim status that Israel is robbing the US taxpayers out of billions of dollars annually, and has not only been so successful to manipulate the world and build a military state but it is constantly engaged in manipulating the politics of the region for its self-interests.
well written Ararat.
“Armenian Genocide of 1915, the first Genocide of the 20th century,”
First genocide of the 20th century? No, not really. That would be the Herero genocide perpetrated and recognized by Germany in Namibia.
Yes, please stop saying “the first genocide of the 20th century”. It wasn’t and it’s also irrelevant whether it was or not.
And that goes for Lemkin and the word genocide as well. Lemkin did not coin the word for Armenians first. It was for all historical events he studied, including the Armenian genocide. Turns out that Lemkin was also aware of the Herero case.
Here is some more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herero_and_Namaqua_Genocide
Kerim, are you a child? This talk of “enemy” makes you seem like a child. Armenia and Azerbaijan disagree over the political status of Artsakh. Azerbaijan wants to settle this dispute violently; Armenia would prefer to do so through negotiations. No “enemies” here.
How old are you?
This is such a desperate attempt to appease Zionists and Neo-Cons with statements like “people who want to demonize Israel” or “seeking to destroy Israel” and trying to compare the Armenian struggle to that of the Zionists.
Before you complain about AIPAC supporting dictatorial regimes and asking them to look to their non existent morals you should consider that this group, which you are so pathetically attempting to create an alliance with, is propping up and unconditionally supporting an apartheid regime and subjugating an entire nation of people. Maybe you are the one who should reevaluate your “morals”.
In evaluating all commenets above,I do agree that the organization called AIPAC that has welcomed the Axerbaijani Ambassador´s delivering a discourse,at its annual Conference,I see many are in agreement that Israel conducts a Policy that suits her interests best.Indeed any soverign would also do same.We are there to learn and we learn fast too.
One thing that my dear compatriots do not consider more meticulusly is that whatever Axerbaijan does is on the international political scene is great Turkey backed,supported. All outward -now and then-disagreemets between these two states(One Nation,as `per Great Turkey) are theatrical actings….don´t ever overlook that. Big brother is watching , rather( HSGEL) translates as ,sort of oversees these.Today I especially attended a conference organized by a Local chaper of a famous Jewish(Israeli) conceeern.The one man activist delivered a very strong speach starting from NorthWest Africa all the way down to the Persian Gulf arab states.Indeed he did disclose the ¨rapidly changing ¨ situation in that general area.The idea was to update for the audiende(all Jews) except self. at intervals once only he asked if anyone had any question,to which no one replied.Nor did I .But when through i approached him and expressed my real admiratiion as to his knolwwegeable stance, to him.First I introduced myself that ..¨I am Armenian¨ then very curtiously approached to the point , that ¨ indeed you described
very wwell the status quo in the Geagraphic area,covering almost everything¨¨ However, you did not say a word as to great Turkey…that is a player there…or any hint as to the Caucasus region.I did mention that I knew that the relations between israel and Turkey has cooled off etc., etc.,
I made a point to mention that Armenians do appreciate people suchas Israel Charney who has now and then defended our Cause and is probably the most important Israeli that wishes the Knesset to recognize the Armenian Genoicde.Also mentioned that armenians owe the word Genocide to Rafael Lemkin ,who coined the word specifically referring to the Armenian CASE. Then I gave it him!!!.I said Israel ,actually should have been the FIRST STATE to recognize the armenian Genocide!!!and that now is the time to do so, the present so suits that..etc.,
HJe did point out to me one reason that Israel does not do it is the Religious factor,to which i retorted we armeniasn respect all religions!!!!
then he brought up (this one I think he showed his frankness) that ¨some Israelis wish to represent the Holocaust as Unique…¨anyhow. I found it appropriate to ask for his calling card which he extended to me.The offcies are onm prestigious Park ave. in NY,so I gathered he is important.Anyhow, I asked him to kindly explain to his associates that we Armenians wish to maintain good relations with your people and expect that this be reciprocated.And please tell what has trasnpired between us and that an Armenian is requesting that the >Israelis recognize our Genocide. he did not ask anything about me, which i am sure from the organziers of the Conference he could immediatley find out all about me….
which I do not mind at all,since my attitutde as above described is to the affirmative and based on truth and request to honour our Genocide ASAP-
Addendum,
Forgot to mention that in a round about way I drove home that in order to appease and soften their stance towards Jewish relentlessand Zioniztique,so to say position NOT TO recognize our Genocide ,I often remind them that ¨¨after all the Jews have a right to have their own State on land that was for ages as JUDEA(that little strip of land) sandwiched between all Arab -states..
I personally beleive that we must work hard to get the Jews understand that by their keeping away from us and siding with the turco azeris will not produce much for them…
Can we not use Hitler please? Seriously, you’re lecturing to AIPAC using Hitler for comparison? Just give the long list of anti-Armenian hate that Aliyev has spewed for years. Aliyev’s words speak for itself!
Go to the language learning site Livemocha.com and sign up, it is free. After you log on find the drop down header, People and find Culture. Click on Culture and on the right side of the Culture page you will see Explore Items From. On the drop down pick Azerbaijan. Pictures posted will show pictures of the Azerbaijan, but keep on going. You will see so much lies and hate about Armenians. In the past I was booted off the site for standing up for the truth while Azeries are allowed to go on and post and then get off with their pictures post protected even when booted off. When I was booted off, my posts and everything attached to my posts were deleted.
Ararat, overall a good analysis. But it misses one important point. No one says that Israel and Azerbaijan are brothers. It sufficies that their current interests strongy overlap. Iran is an existential threat to BOTH of them. In international politics, there are only common interests. And there have been multiple high-profile articles emhhasizing how close the two indeed are together vis-a-vis Iran. My point is that once (not if) the war starts, Azb will be involved in the conflict one way or another. This might shift the regional chess table altogether, voiding all the old geopolitical assumptions. Can you imagine a new Azerbaijan with over 35 million population (with the Iranian Azeris joining us). Not very likely of course, but even 10% likelihood should be a very very scary thought to Armenian leadership. 35 million versus 2 million. Eventually math always wins out.