LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

FAIR Disputes Catagorization in Georgia Media Story

May 19, 2006

Eurasianet's recent article Georgia’s Crime Fighting Campaign Comes Under Scrutiny by Molly Corso (5/12/06) referred to FAIR as a media watchdog "generally aligned with Democratic Party interests." FAIR is a completely independent group, not affiliated or aligned with any political party; we encourage hard-hitting journalism that holds government accountable. During Republican administrations, that stance might lead some to perceive us as aligned with Democratic Party interests, but a quick glance at our equally critical work during the Clinton years would quickly dispel any notion that our work is partisan. I hope that you will correct the record.

Regards,
Julie Hollar
Communications Director
Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting

RUSAL Denies Management Deal with Azerbaijani Aluminum Plant

March 1, 2006

I am writing to you in my capacity of international media relations officer at RUSAL, Russia’s largest and world’s no. 3 aluminum producer, with regards to the article by Rovshan Ismayilov entitled Trade, Investment Take Center Stage at Russia-Azerbaijan Summit, posted February 28.

While the article provides a very insightful perspective and interesting forecast on the relationship between Russia and Azerbaijan, the information regarding RUSAL is not correct.

We have in fact stated our possible interest in constructing a greenfield aluminum smelter in the country and have begun a pre-feasibility study which will serve as basis for our final decision on the project. However, we are not interested and do not intend to participate in the management or development of Azerbaijan’s existing aluminum or alumina plants.

Ekaterina Sedova
International Media Relations Manager
RUSAL

Setting the Record Straight on Azerbaijani-Ukrainian Relations

September 27, 2005

The purpose of my writing to the Eurasianet is to shed light on at least some of the issues raised by Khadija Ismayilova in her recent story, titled "Youth Activists in Azerbaijan Say They Are Being Targeted by Government."

While understanding that pluralism of opinions is one of the mainstays of a democratic society, I would like to add mine to that of Ms. Ismayilova, as far as some of the undoubtedly important issues raised in her piece are concerned.

Specifically, while leaving aside those of the developments, where final judgment can not be pronounced yet (such as ongoing investigation on the Ruslan Bashirli affair, etc.), I want to address one key issue of international consequence.

This is with regard to the case of Sergey Yevtushenko, who was denied entry to Azerbaijan, never detained and/or arrested, as claimed by the author and some other publications. To bring some clarity to the issue, it is important to state that a sovereign state has an inalienable right to determine conditions of admittance or non-admittance to its territory of foreign nationals and persons without citizenship, without regard to existing visa regime or lack of such with their respective nations.

Despite Charge D’Affaires Kizima’s statement, it is our firm belief that Azerbaijani authorities never violated any of the multilateral or bilateral international legally-binding documents, to which Azerbaijan is a party. On the contrary, they acted in full accordance with my country’s legislation and international practice even going beyond the accepted norms of the latter.

High-level representatives of the MFA have also immediately, well before the diplomatic note of September 16, intervened on behalf of the Ukrainian consular official and created favorable conditions for his numerous visits with Mr. Yevtushenko at the Baku airport.

In spite of Azerbaijan authorities’ offer to expedite his departure and provide tickets, Mr. Yevtushenko insisted that he would depart only on the tickets already in his possession.

Azerbaijan values the relations of partnership and close friendship with Ukraine, and is dedicated to promoting them further. The same applies to upholding human rights and civic freedoms’ values.

I believe, that Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Ukraine, after detailed discussion of the matter in New York one week ago, decided to consider the issue closed for good, and would sincerely advise the journalists writing on the subject to study the issue in a more profound manner, also utilizing the Ministry sources, available “twenty four-seven”.

Tahir Taghizadeh
Director,
Department of Press of Information
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Baku, September 23, 2005

Rashid Take on Uzbekistan "Distorted"

January 14, 2005

Although there are important problems confronting Uzbekistan both politically and economically, Ahmed Rashid’s piece date 20 December 2004 (Karimov Contributing to His Own Demise in Uzbekistan) is no more than a litany of accusations, exaggerations and distortions that does not help us understand the present situation in Uzbekistan. His piece takes his obvious annoyance at not being granted a visa and exaggerates this into series of accusations, including suggesting that Uzbekistan has imposed an “iron curtain” preventing its people from traveling, damaging reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, encouraging warlordism by supporting ethnic Uzbek leaders in Afghanistan, and encouraging terrorists of Uzbek origin who are training in Pakistan to infiltrate Central Asia.

Mr. Rashid’s views paint a distorted picture of Uzbekistan. Let us take his criticisms one by one:

• If an “iron curtain” has descended on Uzbekistan it has generally not been the Government of Uzbekistan that has prevented its citizens from traveling—many travel regularly to the countries of the former Soviet Union such as Russia and Kazakstan without visas as well as other countries— but draconian restrictions imposed by Western Governments that makes it nearly impossible for ordinary Uzbeks to travel to the US or Europe.

• The idea that Uzbekistan is somehow hindering the reconstruction of Afghanistan by its tight border restrictions is farcical. Mr. Rashid fails to mention the continued Taliban and Al-Qaeda insurgency in Afghanistan and its threat to Central Asia. Just as important, he fails to mention the enormous drug trade in Afghanistan (one wonders how he could miss this) and the danger this poses to Uzbekistan. Afghanistan’s lack of progress in its reconstruction effort is based on its complex political and ethnic rivalries, not Uzbekistan or its other regional neighbors.

• Uzbekistan continues to play a significant role helping in the war on terror. It provides bases and facilities that help the US and other NATO countries. This is the opposite of his “Iron Curtain” theory.

• He further makes the claim that Uzbekistan is encouraging warlordism in Afghanistan and in this connection mentions an Afghan leader of Uzbek ethnicity, Abdul Rashid Dostum. This is simple not true and one wonders what real proof Mr. Rashid has in the past year. In fact, a year ago on 23 Decmeber 2003 Mr. Rashid wrote a letter to Mr. Dostum’s spokesman, saying that Mr. Dostum was an important Afghan figure making the transition from a military leader to a political leader. Mr.Rashid praised Mr. Dostum’s fight against the Taliban and terrorism, never mentioning the word warlord. Since that letter, Mr. Dostum ran for President and received the largest number of votes in the North. He has also disarmed his forces in accordance with UN agreements. One wonders why Mr. Rashid today characterizes all of this in the most sinister way.

In order to understand Mr. Rashid’s antipathy toward Uzbekistan we need only quote from his most well-known book, “The Taliban” (page 56, paperback edition, 2001): “ The Uzbeks, the roughest and toughest of all Central Asian nationalities, are noted for their love of marauding and pillaging – a hangover from their origins as part of Genghis Khan’s hordes...” Mr. Rashid opinion is not new. It reflects the biased attitudes about Turkic people that one finds far too prevalent in the region and Europe. Such characterizations should have disappeared sixty years ago. I wonder if these comments were made about another more politically connected nationality whether their bigoted character would be so easily ignored and Mr. Rashid feted as an “expert” on Central Asia. May be this is why he did not get his visa to Uzbekistan.

Charles Santos
Tashkent