Baku Demands that Eurovision «Respect Territorial Integrity» of Azerbaijan

13.03.2006 18:54 GMT+04:00 Print version Send to mail In Russian In Armenian
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan has sent a letter of protest to organizers of Eurovision song contest. The Azeri Ministry of Culture «being extremely concerned» that biography of Andre, a singer, who comes from Armenia, notes he was born in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, sent a letter to organizers of the contest. The letter says, «the fact should be considered as disrespect of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and provocation that can be interpreted as contest organizers’ supporting Armenia’s aggressive policy.»

The letter emphasized that «Nagorno Karabakh is an inseparable part of the Azerbaijani Republic. The world society knows that since 1988 Azerbaijan suffered from Armenia’s aggression. Resulting from hostilities Nagorno Karabakh and adjacent territories that make 20% of the territory of the Azerbaijani Republic were occupied. Over one million people were driven out and became displaced persons.»

The message further notes that «the international community now focuses on the peace talks with the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group, and facts like this one can have a negative impact on the process.» Concluding, the letter expresses «confidence that organizers of the contest, which serves to dialogue of cultures, will be able to manage the misunderstanding and will display respect to territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, recognized by the international community,» Day.az reports.

ANDRE’S BIRTHPLACE IRRITATES THE AZERIS

01:25 pm 13 March, 2006
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The Azeris have launched a «cultural war» against the organizers of the singing festival «Eurovision» and Greece where the festival is to be organized this year.

The fact that irritated them was the biography of Andre representing Armenia which was represented in the official website of the competition. The problem is that Andre is from Karabakh. «This fact can be evaluated as absence of respect for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. It can be deduced from the fact that the organizers of the festival defend the aggressive policy of Armenia», the letter to the organizers of «Eurovision» says, day.az reports.

The Azerbaijani Ministry of Culture found it necessary to remind that the international community has focused its attention on the negotiation process carried out with the OSCE Minsk group, and «such facts» can have a negative influence on the process.

At the end of the letter the Azeri side had voiced hope that the organizers of the competition who contribute to the dialogue of cultures will solve the problem and will display respect for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

Actually, A1 Plus seem to have missed the point. It’s not Andre’s birthplace that has pissed them off, or rather it is, but more the fact that it’s been identified as an independent Republic when no other country in the world, including Armenia, has officially recognized it as such.

At the age of six, he enrolled at the Stepanakert Komitas Music School to learn the piano. Three years later Andre wrote his first song, ‘Prayer’, which he dedicated to God. During the Artsakh war, Andre sang in The Children of Artsakh youth ensemble which performed to different military units. At the age of 15, performing as an individual for the first time, Andre took part in the ‘Road to Renaissance’ competition, which marked the real starting point of his career as musician.

http://www.eurovision.tv/english/2105.htm

Funny