Culture | Public Affairs Business | Philanthropy
A GREAT LEAP FOR AZERBAIJAN
(Photo: Getty Images)
Also in this issue: European Council President Tusk condemns the Armenian occupation Bryza calls on Obama to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh issue NATO/EU recognition of Azerbaijani energy role Celebrations in Colmar Pianists Emil Afrasiyab and Nargiz Aliyarova – bringing an Azerbaijani flavour to the jazz club and concert hall
08 / 2015
Please see inside for how to win ÂŁ100 of Amazon vouchers
8 / 2015
www.teas.eu www.teas.eu
Printed by www.turquoisemedia.eu
Welcome to the TEAS Magazine The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS) is a UK-registered pan-European foundation dedicated to raising awareness of Azerbaijan and fostering closer economic, political and cultural links between that country and the nations of Europe. As well as promoting the positive aspects of Azerbaijan, TEAS also highlights the plight of the 875,000 refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) within the country. These people are unable to return to their homes and lands because of the illegal occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding districts by Armenia’s armed forces – in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions. TEAS has three main facets to its operations: • Culture – TEAS raises awareness of Azerbaijan’s rich and vibrant culture to a worldwide audience by organising cultural events and operating as a networking centre. • Business – TEAS supports its membership of European and Azerbaijani businesses. It provides a platform for organisations to establish links and strengthen their existing business relationships via a programme of networking opportunities across the regions. • Public Affairs – TEAS works to increase awareness about Azerbaijan amongst key opinionformers, key decision-makers and other political, academic and civil society stakeholders. In pursuit of its objectives TEAS: • Organises meetings with interested parties, opinion-formers and decision-makers • Arranges roundtables, seminars, lectures and conferences • Publishes pamphlets, reports, bulletins, books and produces films • Facilitates fact-finding trips by politicians and business people.
Mailing List
TEAS is always bringing the latest news, views and interviews from Azerbaijan. Sign up to our mailing-list to receive the latest information straight to your inbox: www.teas.eu
The TEAS Facebook page is your chance to learn about the latest news, events, campaigns and other Azerbaijan-related items. Visit and ‘like’ our page at: http://bit.ly/TEASFB.
Membership and Sponsorship
TEAS offers a range of corporate and individual membership packages, providing such benefits as advertising, trade missions, networking, business sector advice and hotel discounts. TEAS also offers numerous sponsorship opportunities throughout the year for its events and conferences. To find out more, e-mail: membership@teas.eu.
Win £100 of Amazon vouchers! Firstly, congratulations to Michael Green, Senior Credit Manager, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), who won the competition in the July issue of the TEAS Magazine. To stand a chance of winning £100 of Amazon vouchers, simply answer the following five questions, the answers to which will be found in this issue. In the case of a tie, a draw will be made. Previous winners are ineligible to enter, as are TEAS employees and their families. Please send all entries to editor@teas.eu by 17.00hrs (GMT) on 7 September. 1. Who is the President of the European Council? 2. Which Azerbaijani city – formerly the capital during the period 1918–20 – will be European Youth Capital in 2016? 3. Which Azerbaijani town is twinned with Colmar? 4. Which Puccini opera originated from the work of the poet Nizami Ganjavi? 5. Where is Emil Afrasiyab currently studying music?
Upcoming Events For full details of all TEAS events, go to www.teas.eu/upcoming events 7 September – Emil Afrasiyab Quartet at the opening concert for the Festival de Jazz de Colmar Salle des Spectacles Europe, 13, rue d’Amsterdam, 68000 Colmar, France. 20hrs. To book tickets, go to http://www.colmar.fr/festivaljazz-colmar. This TEAS-supported concert will showcase sensational Azerbaijani jazz pianist Emil Afrasiyab, performing alongside Alexandre Madeline (saxophone), Antoine Katz (bass) and Raphaël Pannier (drums). 8–12 September – Azerbaijan Through the Lens photographic exhibition (Colmar) Salle d’exposition, Pôle Média Culture Edmond Gerrer, 1, place de la Montagne Verte, 68000, Colmar, France Admission Free. Tuesday: 14–20hrs; Wednesday: 10–18hrs; Thursday/Friday: 13–18hrs; Saturday: 10–17hrs This exhibition brings together 30 stunning photographs of Azerbaijan, submitted for a competition organised by TEAS in 2012, having been selected from around 750 submissions from both amateur and professional photographers located across the world. The jury comprised the world-renowned photographer Henry Dallal – best-known for his photographs of Queen Elizabeth II – and Caroline Metcalfe, Photographic Director for Condé Nast Traveller magazine. 14 October – TEAS Business Forum Brussels Diamant Conference & Business Centre, Auguste Reyerslaan 80, 1030 Brussels, Belgium. RSVP to aygun.ismayilova@teas. eu before 15 September. This business forum will comprise the following sessions: energy, agribusiness, infrastructure and ICT. Companies from Azerbaijan, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain and the UK will be in attendance. Partners: AZPROMO, Belgian Chambers (Federation of Belgian Chambers of Commerce), DBH Group, Flanders Investment and Trade, CCLA (Chamber of Commerce Luxembourg–Azerbaijan). 21 October – Geostrategic Maritime Review: The Caspian Sea – geopolitical and geostrategic stakes for the wider region (Paris) L’Hôtel de l’Industrie, Société d’Encouragement pour l’Industrie Nationale, 4 Place Saint-Germain, 75006 Paris RSVP by 10 October to paris@teas.eu or communications.assistant@obgms.org. This landmark conference will focus on energy security and supply for the region; its impact on employment, innovation, food and human security, pollution and the environment; and the potential effect on the European/Eurasian region. Organisers: TEAS; International Geostrategic Maritime Observatory (IGMO); Société d’Encouragement pour l’Industrie Nationale (SEIN).
08 / 2015
www.teas.eu
Politics and News
03
Patrick Hickey, President, European Olympic Committees, speaks during the Baku2015 Opening Ceremony
Baku in a position to mount serious Olympic bid: Hickey
Lionel Zetter, Director, TEAS
From the TEAS Director
Baku2015 – the inaugural European Games – is now over. The closing ceremony was as spectacular as the opening. Many thousands of athletes, officials and tourists have returned home to their respective nations, praising the organisation of the Games and the hospitality of the host country. The invitation by the Royal Institute of International Affairs to Bako Sahakyan to address a meeting at Chatham House caused a storm in the UK and internationally. This self-styled ‘president’ of the unrecognised regime in NagornoKarabakh received a noisy welcome from protestors as he was bundled into Chatham House by burly minders. A new book published by TEAS Press, Khojaly Witness of a War Crime: Armenia in the Dock, was launched in the House of Lords. One of the editors, Ian Peart, chaired the meeting, but sadly his co-author Fiona Maclachlan died before publication. The event was attended by H.E. Tahir Taghazade, Azerbaijani Ambassador to the UK; Dennis Sammut, Director, LINKS; Bob Blackman MP, Chairman, Azerbaijan AllParty Parliamentary Group, several peers and several dozen members of the public. In a landmark ruling, the European Court of Human Rights rejected the submission of the Armenian government that it had no part in the invasion – and subsequent military occupation – of Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven surrounding districts. This ruling not only destroys the Armenian negotiating position, but also leaves the government open for a flood of compensation claims.
Lionel Zetter, Director, TEAS 08 / 2015
Speaking to AFP, Patrick Hickey, President, European Olympic Committees, has commented that the infrastructure and personnel expertise developed as a result of the Baku2015 European Games has placed the city in an excellent position to launch a serious bid to host the Summer Olympic Games. Mr Hickey said: “It has already several times that there is no city has the ambition to be a for hosting the Olympics in the
been said doubt this candidate future. On
the two previous occasions, they failed to make the shortlist. However, at that time they had neither the infrastructure, nor experience, of organising major events. “The legacy they inherit from these Games are obviously the infrastructure and the people. When the Games end, they will have their own homegrown experts, capable of organising all types of world event. These are the best conditions from which to bid in the future for the Olympic Games.”
Azerbaijan to spend $86m on F1 Next year will see the Baku European Grand Prix hosted in the Azerbaijani capital for the first time. Azad Rahimov, Azerbaijani Minister of Youth of Sports, stated: “We would like our drivers, teams and sponsors to participate in the race. I have no doubt that our country would be interested in participating in the most prestigious racing series.” He noted that future Formula 1 races in Azerbaijan could be floodlit, and that more than 11,000 foreign fans are expected to visit Baku for the race. He continued: “I can say that we will have to spend between $66–86m (£42.5–55.4m).”
The 20-corner track will be lapped 51 times, with cars reaching maximum speeds of 340km/hr. According to Mr Mehdiyev, this is the fastest single speed at any race currently on the Formula 1 calendar. He continued: “Actually, I think the race will be just fantastic, because it is within the city. The race will go along the Baku Bulvar, which is a unique part of the track. It will go around the Old City, which is a UNESCO heritage area, and involves very stiff turns, inclines and declines. I think it will be a challenge for the drivers.”
Chingiz Mehdiyev, Head of Operations, Baku European Grand Prix, said: “Baku is on track. We have almost completed the project, and now we are going through some stages of homologation. Following that, we can start actual construction work.
The first race, scheduled for July 2016, will be held during daytime but, beyond the following next season, Mr Mehdiyev said the possibility of staging the event at night was highly probable and “exciting”. When asked where Baku would rank on the Formula 1 calendar after the chequered flag is brought down on the race, he was optimistic, stating that it will be regarded “as one of the best races in the world.”
“Some civil works need to be done, because our race is within the city. We are going to start ordering the fencing, and all will be prepared well in advance. We will be totally ready before the race. The track runs for just over 6km, and takes in the stunning architecture of the Old City, multi-million dollar developments in the city centre, and the glittering Caspian seashore.”
Meanwhile, Mr Rahimov revealed that the country is keen to see its own team on the Formula 1 grid. According to him, the government would be “interested”, in either seeing a national team contest the world championship, or possibly sponsor an existing team. However, he ruled out Azerbaijani state sponsorship for the team, commenting: “We will be totally supporting any private investment.” www.teas.eu
04
Politics and News
Amazing Baku2015 opening ceremony screened in Paris
In celebration of the opening ceremony of the Baku2015 European Games, TEAS France and the Azerbaijani Embassy in France invited more than 60 people to the Azerbaijani Cultural Centre in Paris to view a live screening of the event on channel Equipe21. This was followed by a cocktail reception, accompanied by the best in Azerbaijani cuisine.
Attendees included diplomats; a representative of the French Olympic committee; representatives of French companies, including TOTAL, Bouygues Construction and Galeries Lafayette; and members of the Azerbaijani diaspora. In the welcoming speeches, Ayaz Gojayev, First Secretary, Azerbaijani Embassy in France, and Marie-Laetitia Gourdin, Director, TEAS France, underlined the historical importance of Azerbaijan hosting the first edition of the European Games
Ayaz Gojayev, First Secretary, Azerbaijani Embassy in France, and Marie-Laetitia Gourdin, Director, TEAS France, commented on Baku2015 prior to the screening (Photo: Stylin’CO)
and how this demonstrates the universality of sport and its power as a coalescing force. Astonished by the beauty of the opening ceremony, the audience applauded
several times, notably for the allegory of the Taurus Europa creating the shape of the European continent under its hoofs, as if by magic. This served to illustrate the geographic unity of this continent, and the natural place of Azerbaijan within Europe.
Conflict settlement dependent on Azerbaijan and Armenia
Mladen Ivanić, Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina and incoming Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, has addressed the plenary meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) summer session.
Ganira Pashayeva, Member of the Azerbaijani delegation to PACE, asked Mr Ivanić whether Bosnia and Herzegovina would play a more active role in the
resolution of the Armenian–Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh during its Chairmanship. Mr Ivanić replied: “I believe that, as a small country facing various conflicts in our history, we can assist in resolving the conflict.
“Small countries may not be so strong in presenting a ready-made solution to the conflict, but we can contribute to the sides through our experiences. However, the conflict’s settlement is fully dependent
News from Brussels
e-mail: brussels@teas.eu A conference entitled Security in the South Caucasus and the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict was hosted on 16 June in the European Policy Centre (EPC) in Brussels, its purpose being to focus on the current state of the peace negotiations in the Armenian–Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh from the perspective of the sides and on an international level. The conference focused on exploring track-two diplomacy between both nations. H.E. David Shahnazaryan, Ambassador and Senior Analyst, Regional Studies Centre, Yerevan, acknowledged the role of Russia in protracting the conflict, saying: “I want to underline that the NagornoKarabakh conflict is the only conflict on former Soviet territory where no Russian peacekeepers are present. Russia is militarising the conflict zone, and strengthening its Russian military base in Armenia whilst simultaneously signing $5bn (£3.2bn) contracts with Azerbaijan. This is not normal for a peacemaker… Unfortunately, Armenia is a member of the Eurasian Economic Union. I want to underline that this was not a decision by the Armenian government or Armenian people. This decision was made under high pressure from Russia… my conclusion is that the OSCE Minsk Group needs more support from the international community, even from NATO.” Zaur Shiriyev, Visiting Fellow, Chatham House, commented: “Armenia’s inclusion in the Eurasian Economic Union has resulted in an increased role for Russia in the mediation process, whilst the
08 / 2015
on the two sides. Moreover, Bosnia and Herzegovina cannot do anything, so our country does not have a huge impact. We will continue to develop relations with both countries, and try to assist in building relations between them. Recently, I have visited Baku to attend the inauguration of the European Games. Azerbaijan invests in Bosnia and Herzegovina and supports several projects related to the employment of foreigners in the country. This is a very good step.”
Western role is limited. Firstly, the parties should work on and sign a framework agreement, which will lead to a final peace agreement. Secondly, Armenia and Azerbaijan hold civilians as captives. Azerbaijan and Armenia have signed an agreement facilitating an exchange of prisoners between the parties. This will certainly establish some trust between the sides.” H.E. Juris Poikans, Ambassador-at-Large for the EU Eastern Partnership during the Latvian Presidency of the EU, continued: “The problem is that the EU cannot impose a solution, and our Azerbaijani friends have referred many times to the resolutions of the UN Security Council, but there is no implementation mechanism for these resolutions. “When it comes to small steps, I believe everything counts here. I highly appreciate the participation of Armenia in the Baku2015 European Games. This is very important for Azerbaijan, I think, because Armenians must show their respect to Azerbaijanis. “I believe that the EU may be forced to change its position and its approach towards solving the problem. As we also see from the history of Europe, we have several examples of conflicts, like in Kosovo and Cyprus, which were not resolved for a long period. We have not been able to resolve any conflicts in former Soviet countries.”
www.teas.eu
Politics and News
05
Azerbaijan hailed by leading French Senator
French Senator Nathalie Goulet has given an interview to opinion-internationale.com, entitled Azerbaijan is our secular ally in the South Caucasus. She emphasises the need for the West to understand the country, explaining: “I think that, in relative terms, at the age of 24 years, Azerbaijan is a relatively young country. Its neighbouring countries – Russia at the North and Iran in the South – are turbulent. Azerbaijan is engaged in open warfare with Armenia, and soldiers are killed almost every day, although no-one speaks about them in the West.”
Making reference to the inclusive nature of the Baku2015 European Games, she continued: “All European countries will be present, including Israel, although Azerbaijan belongs to the Organisation of
Islamic Co-operation (IOC). Armenia will also participate, and this is courageous on the part of the Armenian athletes and the Azerbaijani authorities… on a geostrategic level, Azerbaijan is an ally of Europe… it is the only truly westernised post-Soviet country that actually resists Russia. It is an important commercial partner for France, notably in the sectors of oil and gas and agriculture. “The Republic is absolutely secular. There is a Jewish community, churches and no problems with Christians. The country belongs to the OIC, but has excellent diplomatic relations with Israel. There are no problems of anti-Semitism.” To read the entire article (in French), go to http://bit.ly/ gouletazerbaijan.
French Senator Nathalie Goulet reminded readers of the ongoing impact of the Armenian–Azerbaijani conflict, and outlined the tolerant, westward-facing stance of Azerbaijan (Photo: L’Orne Combattante)
ASAN service receives UN prize The ASAN Xidmət e-government network of simplified, transparent access to government services has received first prize in the Improvement of Public Service Delivery category of the UN Public Service Awards 2015. According to a spokesperson from the Innovations Centre of the Azerbaijani State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations, the award was made in June during the UN Public Service Delivery Forum. The UN Public Service Award constitutes
the most prestigious international recognition of excellence in public service. It rewards the creative achievements and contributions of public service institutions that have resulted in the development of more effective and responsive public administration. ASAN currently operates eight centres in Baku and the surrounding districts – together with online and mobile services – providing a one-stop shop for access to over 250 public and private services. For
The award-winning ASAN Xidmət concept is designed to optimise efficiency and transparency
more information on ASAN Xidmət, go to www.asan.gov.az.
Striving to attain EU-mandated digital economy development The Ministers in charge of development of the digital economy from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, together with representatives from the EU and its member states, met in Luxembourg on 11 June to affirm their shared commitment to the digital economy. They also underlined its importance in achieving social and economic development, and in creating growth and jobs across the EU Eastern Partnership (EaP). Representatives of the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the network of EaP Regulators for Electronic Communications (EaPeReg), the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC), the EaP’s Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) industry, and members civil society were also present.
launching the EaPConnect project, linking the research and academic communities in the partner countries to GÉANT, the panEuropean research and education network. They also focused on the development of the emerging initiative for Harmonising Digital Markets (HDM) between partner countries and the EU.
transforming healthcare systems in the context of the digital economy; eCustoms, aimed at facilitating trade and enhancing border security in the EaP; eCommerce for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to facilitate cross-border market access; and eLogistics and Digital Transport Corridors.
In May, the European Commission formulated an ambitious Digital Single Market (DSM) strategy, the purpose of which was to provide ultimately better access to goods and services, fair conditions for all market participants, and a solid basis for the evolution of digital economies and societies. The DSM strategy exploits the untapped potential of digitalisation and tackles key barriers, including regulatory fragmentation, discriminatory practices and outdated legislation.
All participants affirmed the importance of trust in the Digital Economy, including network and information security, cybersecurity and cybercrime; and ICT-based infrastructures for eTrade, research and education. They also underlined the importance of developing digital skills in today’s increasingly digital societies and economies, the need for harmonised telecommunications, and the need to implement an open, multistakeholder model of internet governance for the Digital Economy.
The recent EaP Summit in Riga recognised that the Digital Economy is an area with previously untapped potential for both the EU and partner countries. Summit participants welcomed past and ongoing efforts in this area, such as the preparations for
The subsequent declaration acknowledged the importance of eGovernment infrastructure and services; open data systems, thereby improving government transparency and efficiency and promoting business creation; eHealth, aimed at
They also recognised the requirement for a strengthened internet governance forum (IGF), supporting the extension of its mandate beyond the current five-year term, and called for the creation of an EaP Panel on HDM.
08 / 2015
www.teas.eu
06
Baku2015 European Games
Baku2015 sets Europe aflame The Baku2015 inaugural edition of the European Games ran from 12–28 June, attended by more than 6000 athletes representing more than 50 countries, competing in 18 competition venues for 253 medals. The massive amount of new infrastructure included freshly-constructed venues for gymnastics, BMX, aquatics and shooting, a purpose-built 68,000-seater stadium for the opening and closing ceremonies, and an athletes’ village comprising 1042 apartments. A total of 20 sports were represented, including 16 Olympic and four non-Olympic sports. The Olympic sports provided qualification opportunities for the Rio2016 Summer Olympics. The 17 days of competition were heralded by a magnificent opening ceremony that captured the vibrancy, colour and spirit of The Land of Fire, including kaleidoscopic dance sequences featuring 2000 dancers, fireworks, an enormous pomegranate releasing balloon ‘seeds’, Alim Qasimov performing mugham whilst seated on a flying carpet, evocations of the petroglyphs at Gobustan, Lady Gaga performing John Lennon’s Imagine and characters from the work of the 12th century Azerbaijani poet Nizami Ganjavi. The final torch was carried by Ilham Zakiyev, the double Olympic gold medal-winning Judoka, who was blinded by an Armenian sniper’s bullet when serving on the ‘contact line’ between Azerbaijan and the occupied territories and later went on to achieve gold in the Games. The dazzling ceremony concluded with the Yalli folk dance, performed by over 2000 people.
Fireworks illuminate the sky over the Olympic Stadium during the closing ceremony of the Baku2015 European Games (Photo: EPA/ Zurab Kurtsikidze)
Speaking to the Russian TASS news agency, Azad Rahimov, Azerbaijani Minister of Youth and Sports, revealed that the costs of the opening ceremony totalled around $100m (£64.4m). Amongst the guests of honour were Russian President Vladimir Putin; Thomas Bach, President, International Olympic Committee (IOC); and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The evening also included speeches from Mehriban Aliyeva, First Lady of Azerbaijan; Patrick Hickey, President of the European Olympic Committee; and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who is also President of the Azerbaijani National Olympic Committee and officially declared the Games to be open. The European Games are the final continental Games to be launched, coming in the wake of the Asian, Pan-American, AllAfrica and Pacific Games. Mr Hickey said: “We are creating a landmark moment in European sport. Tonight, we add the missing fifth ring to the continental Games of the world. And through Europe’s first Games, we bind the five continents of the Olympic Movement even closer together.” The opening demonstrated the amazing unifying power of the European Games. Thomas Bach commented: “We see Russian athletes competing alongside Ukrainians. There are Serbian and Kosovan teams in these Games, and we see Armenian athletes alongside their hosts from Azerbaijan. All these athletes marched together at the Opening Ceremony. “This is the power of sport – to bring people together regardless of background, belief or nationality. This is something that sport can do, and maybe something that only sport can do.” The opening ceremony concluded with a stunning fireworks display. Speaking to TASS, Aleksandr Karelin, Russian three-time Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling champion commented: “The Games that started in Baku are an excellent, challenging experiment that had to occur. I hope it will also have a high level of competition. This will be the first such Games in history, so there are many risks and many expectations. But Europe is a cradle of the Olympic movement, and it deserves to have its own Games.”
Simurgh, a mythical bird from Azerbaijani folklore, rises from the ashes of Baku2015 (Photo: EPA/Sergey Dolzhenko)
08 / 2015
The competition that followed demonstrated how well Baku had
www.teas.eu
Baku2015 European Games
07
prepared to host the Games in just twoand-a-half years – rather than the seven normally necessary for a host country to prepare for such an event. Organisation was the key, so the decision was made to bring in expertise from across the world, spearheaded by Simon Clegg CBE, former Chief Executive of the British Olympic Committee, who masterminded the successful UK campaign for the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games. He has headed the Baku European Games Operations Committee (BEGOC), which has had the unenviable task of ensuring everything was in place to deliver the Games. After the dust of the competition settled, the Russians were on top of the awards tally, achieving 164 medals, of which 79 were gold. Second place went to Azerbaijan, winning 56 medals, 21 of them gold. Third place went to Great Britain, with 47 medals, 18 of which were gold, having been particularly successful in Diving. Russian dominance was particularly evident in the swimming pool, where the team won 23 of the 42 available gold medals and set five junior world records in the process. There were outstanding performances from Arina Openysheva, who won seven golds, and Daniil Pakhomov, who won four golds and twice broke the junior 100m Butterfly Stroke world record.
Judoka Hovhannes Davtyan of Armenia fails in his battle against Ludovic Chammartin of Switzerland (Photo: Paco Lozano)
The Russians also swept all before them in Synchronised Swimming, whilst they won the men’s and women’s team events in Artistic Gymnastics, and Yana Kudryavtseva achieved gold in Rhythmic Gymnastics. The Swiss gymnast Giulia Steingruber stopped the Russians having it all their way in Artistic Gymnastics. Her nation had laid down an early marker in the Games,
08 / 2015
Boxers battle for Baku2015 gold (Photo: Boxing AIBA)
winning six of the first nine medals, achieving remarkable success in the Mountain Bike and Triathlon on the first full day of competition. Whilst youngsters ruled in the pool, other sports produced heroic stories from athletes at the other end of the age spectrum. In Fencing, 43-year-old Ivan Trevejo won two golds for France after nearly a decade out of the sport, whilst in Table Tennis, 42-year-old Li Jiao won the women’s singles title for the Netherlands, which also achieved team silver. The Azerbaijani success came in such traditional disciplines as Wrestling, Karate and Boxing, but its athletes also gained medals in such sports as the Triathlon, Canoe Sprint and Fencing. If the atmosphere at the Wrestling was the most passionate, local fans also took their Women’s Volleyball team to heart. Down at the Beach Arena, the sports of Beach Volleyball and Beach Soccer proved unexpectedly exciting. The former provided surprising champions in Switzerland and Latvia for the Women’s and Men’s competitions respectively, while the latter thrilled with a seemingly never-ending supply of wonder goals from the winning Russian team. The adjacent 3x3 Basketball competition was a fitting neighbour, its high-octane skills and street spirit bringing the buzz of youth to the Games. Elsewhere, the two biggest names in Women’s Boxing – Team GB’s Katie Taylor and Ireland’s Nicola Adams – confirmed their status in style. In addition, the Team Athletics competition ended in high drama, and the Cycling road races boasted thrilling sprint finishes at the end of gruelling courses that showcased the best of Baku, ancient and modern, for the world’s television cameras. The Games also encompassed several non-Olympic
sports, including Karate, Sambo, Acrobatic and Aerobic Gymnastics, Beach Soccer and 3x3 Basketball. The Sambo competition resulted in one of the defining images of the Games. As defeated fighter Amil Gasimov lay in a crumpled, agonised heap, his opponent Stsiapan Papou put his gold medal celebrations on hold. The Belarusian helped up the Azerbaijani world champion and carried him off the mat, reminding all those in attendance that good sportsmanship remains a central tenet of the Games. Audiences across the world acclaimed the closing ceremony, directed by James Hadley (formerly of the Cirque du Soleil), which captured the rich tapestry of Azerbaijani colours, peoples, traditions and influences amidst a blaze of 10,000 pyrotechnics. The show featured a cuttingedge soundtrack and spectacular dance routines, as the Games bade farewell to its thousands of athletes. The closing ceremony also paid tribute to the hundreds of Flamekeeper volunteers, whose energy, enthusiasm and dedication made a major contribution towards the success of Baku2015. International music acts led by DJ Gareth Emery, Clean Bandit and John Newman – who called his set the biggest moment of his career – entertained the watching world, which included a 10,000-strong crowd along the Baku Bulvar, which was illuminated by fireworks at the end of the show.
To find out more about the Baku2015 European Games, go to www.baku2015.com For highlights of the opening ceremony, go to http://bit.ly/Baku2015opening and for the full closing ceremony, see http://bit.ly/Baku2015closing
www.teas.eu
08
Baku2015 European Games
Judoka Ilham Zakiyev – blinded by an Armenian sniper’s bullet – added Baku2015 gold to his collection of Olympic medals
Katarzyna Kociolek of Poland and Luliia Karimova of Azerbaijan compete for the ball during the Women’s Beach Volleyball Preliminary match (Photo: BEGOC/François Nel)
Jean-Michel Saive of Belgium wins a point in the Men’s Singles Table Tennis (Photo: BEGOC/Harry Engels)
Team GB goes for gold
Team GB’s 160 athletes demonstrated that they rank amongst the best that Europe has to offer. The country’s youngsters finished in top position at the Baku Aquatics Centre. James Heatly took the Men’s 3m Springboard gold while Matty Lee won the other Individual Men’s competition with a platform victory. Mr Heatly eventually finished the competition with three medals after claiming the 1m Springboard bronze and achieving silver alongside Ross Haslam in the Men’s Synchronised 3m Springboard. In the women’s events, there were two more golds for Team GB as Katherine Torrance delivered in the 3m Springboard and Lois Toulson produced a stunning performance to win the platform. Altogether, the swimming events accounted for 23 medals in the Team GB haul. The Russians were the dominant force, but Britain demonstrated that it has an abundance of talent as Duncan Scott took six medals – including gold in the men’s 200m Freestyle – where Cameron Kurle took silver. Luke Greenbank also achieved double individual gold after winning both the 100m and 200m Backstroke finals. There was more success in the women’s heats, as Holly Hibbot took top spot in the women’s 800m Freestyle and Abbie Wood’s first of four medals came when she achieved gold in the 400m Individual Medley.
08 / 2015
Baku2015 generated a great deal of support – both local, and from across Europe
Lady Gaga’s emotional performance of John Lennon’s Imagine reduced the 68,000-strong audience to a hushed silence (Photo: AISTS)
Aquatic success continued in Sychronised Swimming, where the ten-strong team eventually finished ninth, whilst the pairing of Jodie Cowie and Genevieve Randall finished 12th in their duet final. The Team GB Women’s Water Polo team experienced more challenges, but they signed off in victory after beating Israel to secure 11 th place. Defeat by Serbia left coach Nick Buller’s team in a difficult situation, but they went on to attain a 10–5 victory in their final outing. Mr Buller commented: “It’s been fantastic for the girls to gain this multisport experience. I think we’ve enjoyed and made the most of every moment, and we’ve learned a lot from being here, especially on how to deal with pressure, and that’s going to be hugely beneficial going forward.” Britain – birthplace of the Queensbury Rules – has a proud boxing history, and Team GB’s athletes ensured this was maintained by attaining five pugilistic medals in Baku. Outstanding performances came from Olympic champion Nicola Adams, who took gold in the Flyweight competition, and Joe Joyce who was crowned Super Heavyweight champion. There were many more encouraging performances, with Sandy Ryan winning bronze, as did Qais Ashfaq and Josh Kelly. Mr Joyce recollected: “To have made history over the past two weeks as the first-ever Super Heavyweight European Games Champion was a huge moment for me.”
www.teas.eu
Baku2015 European Games
09
performance to take silver. She came to Baku with a great deal of experience, including four world championship medals, but none in the individual discipline. In Baku, she produced the goods to see off the challenge of Belarus’ Hanna Harchonak, scoring 53.910 to secure second position.
Super heavyweight boxer Joe Joyce of Team GB celebrates winning Baku2015 gold (Photo: Boxing AIBA)
Lani Belcher and Ed McKeever were Team GB’s medal winners in the Canoe Sprint, with the latter determined to improve ahead of this year’s World Championships. The former took silver in the K1 5000m final after McKeever achieved bronze in the K1 200m. In Fencing, the Men’s Team Foil quartet of Richard Kruse, Marcus Mepstead, Alex Tofalides and Ben Peggs were Team GB’s last competitors in Baku, and they made sure to end on a high. They picked up gold in a back-and-forth final battle with Italy, which they eventually won 45–41. In the Men’s Sabre, James Honeybone lost out in the last 16, whilst Aliya Itzkowitz was unable to succeed beyond the final 32 in the women’s event. In the women’s Épée, Corinna Lawrence was defeated by Giulia Rizzi of Italy by 15–12 in her table of 16 match.
For Shooting, the 17-year-old Amber Hill demonstrated nerves of steel to edge out world number one Diana Bacosi to achieve a Women’s Skeet gold medal. The Italian hit 75 out of 75 targets into the final, but Hill, shooting second throughout, was unfazed as she forced a shoot-off, with the pair each missing just one clay. What followed was an astonishing test of nerve as both performed faultlessly until Ms Bacosi missed her 30th clay and Ms Hill claimed Team GB’s fifth gold medal of the European Games. An ecstatic Ms Hill commented: “I’ve never known anything like it. She is an incredible shooter – she shot 75 out of 75, and to then do that in the final was incredible.” She qualified for Rio2016 as a consequence of reaching the final. There were mixed fortunes in the Table Tennis competition, with UK No.1 Paul Drinkhall pushing all the way for a medal, yet Kelly Sibley was unable to make a dent into the competition. Mr Drinkall managed to secure a bronze-medal match against Ukraine’s Lei Kou, but eventually went down 4–2. Earlier in the Men’s Singles competition, Liam Pitchford showed good form to make it to the third round, but was outdone by Slovakia’s Wang Yang.
Hannah Baughn and Ryan Bartlett picked up a trio of bronze medals in the Acrobatic Gymnastics. The pair started with bronze in the All-Around final, and continued to achieve success in the Balance and Dynamic disciplines. Mr Bartlett commented: “After all the training we have done, it is great to come back and achieve the medals. We’ve had a great experience. Coming out here and performing five routines has been the best experience of my life. To come third at a senior championship is pretty good to me.” Aerobic gymnast Ella Augier was proud of her team, despite the disappointment of narrowly missing out on a spot in the group finals. Ms Augier, Chloë Farrance, Olivia Farrance, Sophie Goves and Kayleigh Silva scored 19.161 to finish seventh – one spot behind sixth-placed qualifiers Italy who finished with 19.600. However, while she was disappointed with the result, Ms Augier commented that the chance to represent Team GB was one that brought immense pride. She said: “We are very disappointed to just miss out on the final, but also very proud to have represented Team GB and our sport. The experience in Baku has been incredible, the atmosphere in the arena was amazing, and we will take so much from this experience.” In the Artistic Gymnastics competition, 18-year-old Brinn Bevan got to the finals of both the Individual All-Around competition and the Pommel Horse. He had a tough time in the All-Around final as he landed poorly off the rings, before falling from the high bar twice. However, he bounced back in style to claim Team GB’s only medal of the competition by scoring 14.200 on his way to the Pommel Horse bronze medal. In the Trampoline, Kat Driscoll produced a brilliant individual
08 / 2015
Olympic Taekwondo champion Jade Jones celebrates winning Baku2015 gold for Team GB
In Taekwondo, Jade Jones (see TEAS Magazine, May 2015, p.12) was always going to be the woman to beat in Baku and lived up to the hype by claiming the first-ever –57kg European Games gold. However, Ms Jones was not the only woman to win gold, as Charlie Maddock took –49kg victory, although there was disappointment for world champion Bianca Walkden, who was knocked out in the quarter-finals. In the men’s event Lutalo Muhammad recovered sufficiently from knee surgery to take bronze at –80kg and stake his claim for a spot at Rio 2016. In the Triathalon, the gold achieved by Gordon Benson showed that there is an abundance of strength available to Team GB. The –23 European champion was the quickest in the men’s race by a wide margin as he clocked 1:48.31 to take victory ahead of the Portuguese Joao Silva by 11 seconds. For full details of the Team GB effort, go to http://bit.ly/Baku2015teamgb.
www.teas.eu
10
Culture
Sabina Rakcheyeva and the Deco Ensemble captivated the audience with tracks from their début album (Photo: Lepton Productions)
Encuentro launched in London
The début album by the critically-acclaimed Deco Ensemble, comprising Azerbaijani violinist Sabina Rakcheyeva alongside Bartosz Glowacki (accordion), Ricardo Gosalbo (piano), Robert Luft (piano) and Elena Marigomez (double bass) has been launched at the Purcell Room on London’s South Bank.
The programme focused on the ‘tango nuevo’ genre, particularly concentrating on pieces by Astor Piazzolla, including his romantic Mumuki, written in 1984 and
dedicated to the composer’s wife (and his favourite dog); Triunfal, one of his earliest compositions, dating back to his studies in Paris under the tutelage of Nadia Boulanger; the languorous Oblivion, composed for the soundtrack of the film Enrico IV; and the four sections of the Angel Suite, written to accompany a phantasmagorical play set in an apartment building in Buenos Aires. The concert also included works by the contemporary Argentine composers Gustavo Beytelmann – including the
titular Encuentro – and Ramiro Gallo. The Belgian composer Frédéric Devreese also contributed two atmospheric works from his rich canon – the quirky Passage à 5 and Final Game IV. Following a standing ovation, the Ensemble performed two glorious encores – a lullaby by Montsalvatge entitled Cancion de cuna para dormir a un negrito, featuring the tenor Neil Latchman, and the evocative 1930s tango Che Bandoneon, composed by Anibal Troilo. To order Encuentro, go to www.decoensemble.com/music.
Triumphant Isfar returns to Ronnie’s
Following his sensational debut at Ronnie Scott’s legendary jazz club in February, acclaimed Azerbaijani jazz pianist and composer Isfar Sarabski is set to return on 10 August as part of the International Piano Trio Festival. Winner of the 2009 Jazz Solo Piano Competition at the Montreux Jazz Festival, The Arts Desk commented that Isfar ’s forceful playing was “as if the whole of jazz history was available for experimentation… pounding jazz-rock melody, followed by a swirling folk tune, then sonic landscapes… an astonishing display of musical shapeshifting... His trio also knows how to swing!” Currently studying at the Berklee College of Music, Isfar has played in some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls, including the Royal Albert Hall and the
Queen Elizabeth Hall, performed at some leading jazz festivals, and played in 2012 at UNESCO in Paris for International Jazz Day with Herbie Hancock and Friends. Collaborating with the longstanding members of his trio – Makar Novikov (bass) and Alexander Mashin (drums) – his work is clearly rooted in the mugham harmonies and other folk music of his homeland, combined with approaches from the post-bop school and jazz-funk. Isfar will be performing a double-header alongside the Dutch–American pianist Gerald Clayton. Tickets are normally £25 to £42.50, but friends of TEAS can obtain a 10 per cent discount by entering the Promo code ‘rsazer10’ in the ‘Promo Code’ box on the shopping basket page when booking at http://bit.ly/ronniesisfar.
Isfar Sarabski delivered an intense performance in February at Ronnie Scott’s (Photo: Carl Hyde)
Jamil Aliyev wins the Croydon Concerto Competition
The UK-resident 21-year-old Azerbaijani cellist Jamil Aliyev has won the Croydon Concerto Competition with an emotional rendition of Elgar’s Cello Concerto, made famous in the recording by Jacqueline du Pré. Jamil made his debut in 2012 with
08 / 2015
the BBC Concert Orchestra, performing in a live broadcast on BBC Radio 3 from the Menuhin Hall in London. He has won numerous awards, currently studies at the Royal College of Music, and has recently recorded his debut album
Russian Theme, where he duets with pianist Anna Federova. During his winning performance, the Croydon Symphony Orchestra was under the baton of Darrell Davison. To find out more, go to www. jamalaliyev.com.
www.teas.eu
Culture
11
Stark photos of IDPs and refugees come to the Belgian Senate
Following a landmark decision by the President of the Belgian Senate, stark photos of Azerbaijani IDPs and refugees went on display for one week amidst the neoclassical surroundings of the Belgian Senate in Brussels on 16 June in commemoration of UN World Refugee Day. This emotionally-charged exhibition, organised by TEAS Benelux, serves to capture the ongoing plight of some of the 875,000 refugees and IDPs from the Armenianoccupied Azerbaijani territories. Marc Verwilghen, Director, TEAS Benelux, commented: “The plight of refugees has been in existence since the dawn of humanity, but it is only since the Second World War that the international community has taken this problem into account. In 2003, the mandate of the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) was extended until ‘the refugee problem is totally solved.’ “The purpose of this exhibition is not to highlight those responsible for causing those portrayed in these photos to become refugees and IDPs. By viewing these, we should imagine their situation, sufferings, limited outlook and unhappiness.” He went on to draw parallels with the sufferings of one million Belgians who fled to the Netherlands for safety during the First World War.
Leading photographer Philipp Rathmer outlines his experiences in the IDP camps alongside Marc Verwilghen, Director, TEAS Benelux
with a war from 1988–94, during which Armenian troops occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven surrounding territories, driving out the Azerbaijani population. Now, 23 years later, this conflict is far from over. The ceasefire secures a fragile peace, and for the victims of war and expulsion, it is far from forgotten, and the IDPs and refugees suffer the consequences to this day. “In July 2012, I spent one week visiting IDPs and refugees in the Azerbaijani towns of Takhtakorpu and Guzanli, near the Armenian border, and Darnagul and Gizilgum, located north of Baku. Throughout, I aimed to represent the suffering of these people by focusing on their faces in extreme close-up. Each subject was shot in exactly the same way, against a black background, lit in indirect sunlight, emphasis being placed on capturing the faces, sufferings and stories of the people. You can see the problems in their eyes and wrinkles.
The poignant images dominated one of the most heavily trafficked rooms at the Belgian Senate (Photos: Myriam El Takriti)
The renowned German photographer Philipp Rathmer stated: “This is one of the world’s forgotten conflicts, and for around a century Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought over Nagorno-Karabakh. The conflict between the two former Soviet republics peaked
“The focus was on the human situation – I noted each subject’s name, age, occupation, name of the camp in which they lived and the town from which they had been displaced. They also spoke of their experiences, some very candidly, others with reticence. These photos show one side of the conflict – the side that had to flee and give up their homes. They therefore represent all those who are displaced in the world’s many wars. One aspiration was common to all – they wanted to take one of the five roads leading back to the occupied regions – one of the Five Roads Back Home.” To date, Five Roads Back Home has been exhibited to wide acclaim in Berlin, Paris and Istanbul.
Endless Corridor achieves accolades
Lithuanian director Aleksandras Brokas’ independent film Endless Corridor – focusing on first-hand testimonies on the Khojaly Massacre – has picked up awards at two leading film festivals. It initially achieved the Best of Show Award in the prestigious, California-based Accolade Global Film Competition, and then won the Best Documentary award in the Tenerife and Madrid Film Festival, with Mr Brokas being named as Best Documentary Director. Judged by industry professionals in the US, the Accolade competition has run for 11 years, and accepts submissions in
08 / 2015
the documentary, short film, television, reportage and animation categories, often being referred to as the ‘Little Oscars’. In the competition, Endless Corridor received the main prize of Best of Show, awarded for best idea and execution. Rick Prickett, Competition Co-ordinator, Accolade Global Film Competition, wrote: “Our festivals receive thousands of submissions. You can be justifiably proud of winning Accolade honours…. The judging standards are high, and winning means the craft and creativity exhibited by your entry is outstanding and stands above other productions.” Mr Brokas replied
that the award increases the chances of Endless Corridor featuring at next year’s Emmys and Oscars. In February, Endless Corridor was screened in Istanbul, Ankara, Rome, Vilnius, London, Paris, Dublin, Berlin, Bern and Luxembourg in events organised by TEAS under the auspices of the Justice for Khojaly campaign organised by Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. It has also been broadcast on the Turkish Kanal 24 TV channel and Albanian National Television. To read an interview with Mr Brokas, see TEAS Magazine, March 2015, pp.12–13.
www.teas.eu
12
Business News
John Patterson receives OBE investiture
Following an announcement in the New Year’s Honours List, John Patterson, Chairman, British Business Group (BBG) in Baku, and Regional Manager, i2Offshore, has been invested with the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by HRH Anne, The Princess Royal. The citation reads ‘For services to British commercial interests in Azerbaijan’. Resident in Baku since 1998, John has chaired the BBG since 2009, having sat on the Committee as Events Secretary since 2000. The purpose of the BBG is to facilitate networking by new and existing businesspeople, give and receive advice, and raise the profile of members’ companies.
John Patterson OBE receives his OBE from HRH Anne, The Princess Royal (Photo: BCA Investiture Team)
Founded by John, i2Offshore is an international financial advisory company, focusing on the expatriate community. It also advises potential foreign investors on suitable projects in Azerbaijan. The BBG website is www.bbgaz.co.uk and the i2Offshore website is www.i2offshore.net.
John Patterson OBE, flanked by Vanessa Raine, UEI Holding (left) and wife Aida
TEAS Business Forum Brussels 2015 announced
Following the success of the 2014 edition, the second TEAS annual Business Forum Brussels will take place on 14 October at the Diamant Conference & Business Centre, Auguste Reyerslaan 80, 1030 Brussels. The event will cover the following topics – doing business in Azerbaijan; energy (hydrocarbons and renewable, including maritime); agribusiness (agri- and viticulture); infrastructure (construction, aviation, roads, railways); and ICT (e-Tax, e-Government).
Representatives of companies from Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain and the UK, will be in attendance, in addition to those from Azerbaijan. Please RSVP before 15 September to aygun.ismayilova@teas.eu, specifying the company name; participant’s name; position; website; email; whether your company is already active in Azerbaijan;
and the type of/which business companies/ organisations would you like to meet during the matchmaking session. Partners: AZPROMO, Belgian Chambers (Federation of Belgian Chambers of Commerce), DBH Group, Flanders Investment and Trade, CCLA (Chamber of Commerce Luxembourg–Azerbaijan). Media Partners: Natural Gas Europe, The Business Year
TTC signs MOUs with ANAS and ASUE
UK-based technology commercialisation firm TransTechCapital has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with the Azerbaijani National Academy of Science (ANAS) and Azerbaijan State University of Economics (ASUE).
hosted Dr Babayev’s visit to the UK, which included successful meetings with some of the UK’s premier technology transfer and investment experts at the Universities of Oxford, UCL (London) and Manchester.
The MoU with ANAS serves to create a technology transfer function to facilitate the efficient commercialisation of intellectual property arising from ANAS’ technical institutes. It was signed during a visit to the UK by Dr Vugar Babayev, Head, Innovation Department, ANAS.
Dr Babayev commented: “We are delighted to have agreed this MoU with TTC and are grateful for the introductions they made to their high-level relationships in technology transfer in the UK. The expertise of TTC in technology transfer, commercialisation and venture funding will be of very significant value to ANAS.” Meanwhile, at ASUE, TTC will assist with the development and implementation of intellectual property commercialisation strategies and processes.
TTC is particularly interested in Azerbaijan due to the country’s excellent technical institutes, universities and academies. TTC
Dentons Baku issue advice
The Baku branch of global law firm Dentons – a TEAS member company – has advised Petronas, the Malaysian oil and gas giant, on its acquisition of the 15.5 per cent Statoil stake in the Azerbaijani Shah Deniz gas field production-sharing agreement (PSA), including associated pipelines. The deal was completed in April 2015. Shah Deniz is one of the largest gas projects in the world, paving the way for Caspian gas to be delivered directly to European markets for the first time through the Southern Energy corridor into Italy, thereby providing diversity of supply for Europe. This major transaction was completed in a short period due to Petronas’ focused in-house legal and commercial teams. The deal represents one of Petronas’ largest acquisition deals. Dentons h as also published the ninth edition of its invaluable guide to doing business in Azerbaijan. Entitled Succeeding in Azerbaijan, it is based on the collective knowledge and experience gained during the many years that the Baku branch has advised clients in Azerbaijan.
08 / 2015
The Dentons guide highlights some of the principal issues of interest to those currently in, or wishing to enter, this market. It serves as a good, practical introduction to the legal and business environment in the country. This edition was officially launched on 1 June 2015 at the Dentons Baku annual client breakfast briefing held during the Caspian International Oil and Gas Exhibition. To download the full guide in pdf format, go to http://bit.ly/dentons2015 Meanwhile, Dentons has issued a client alert regarding recent amendments to the Azerbaijani Civil Code, which became effective on 24 May. These specify new regulations for related party transactions, which now encompass all Azerbaijani legal entities. Previously, similar regulations existed only for issuers of investment securities (company shares and bonds) and banks. The new rules are applicable to any transaction or series of related transactions between a legal entity and a related party with respect to such legal entities. To read the full client alert, go to http://bit.ly/ dentonsrelatedparty.
www.teas.eu
Personalities – AleksandrasConflict Brokas Nagorno-Karabakh
13
Visit to Chatham House by head of the illegal occupying regime in Karabakh provokes outrage
The visit on 8 July to leading London think-tank The Royal Institute of International Affairs by the controversial Bako Sahakyan, head of the illegal Armenian occupying regime in Nagorno-Karabakh, has resulted in a noisy protest in Central London by Azerbaijani students and professionals. They stood alongside supporters of international law from the UK, Turkey and other countries, including friends and members of TEAS. The protest attracted coverage from the Azerbaijani and UK media. Prior to and during his participation in a discussion on NagornoKarabakh: Domestic Developments and Regional Challenges, protesters chanted slogans outside Chatham House, including ‘Sahakyan – Karabakh is Azerbaijan’ and ‘We want justice – when do want it? Now!’ As he left the building they shouted: ‘Chatham House – Shame on You’ and ‘Sahakyan – War Criminal!’, thereby making their thoughts known about a man whose policies continue to stop around 875,000 Azerbaijanis internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees from returning to their rightful homes. A digivan, exhibiting emotionally-charged photos of Azerbaijani IDPs taken by leading photojournalist Ed Kashi in displacement camps, demonstrated the ongoing human impact of Armenian policy in the region. It remained outside Chatham House for the duration of the debate, before touring Central London. Formerly a Deputy Commander during the Armenian–Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh and head of the Security Services in the occupied territories from 2001–07, Sahakyan’s intransigence has played a major role in halting progression in the peace talks between the sides. He has been head of the occupying regime since 2007, and has repeatedly pledged to seek recognition of the full independence of Nagorno-Karabakh. The visit attracted a vitriolic response from leading British MPs and Peers. Lord Kilclooney commented: “It is disgraceful that Bako Sahakyan, so-called ‘president’ of the unrecognised regime in Nagorno-Karabakh, has been invited to speak at London’s Chatham House. Sahakyan is unrecognised by the international community, and such an invitation by Chatham House diminishes their own standing and gives him a level of legitimacy that he does not deserve. Four UN Security Council Resolutions have been passed against the Armenian occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven surrounding districts, and it is time they were implemented.” Stephen Hepburn, MP for Jarrow, stated: “His regime is unrecognised by any country in the world. He is not welcome in the UK, and I would ask that Chatham House reconsiders his invitation to speak there in the future.” Bob Blackman, Chair, Azerbaijan All-Party-Parliamentary Group (APPG), said: “It was a shock to hear that the Bako Sahakyan, so-called ‘president’ of the unrecognised occupying regime in Nagorno-Karabakh, has been invited by Chatham House to speak. The UK government does not recognise the illegal regime in Nagorno-Karabakh. However, the UK government has no power to stop Sahakyan from visiting the UK as a private individual, and this is a private visit with no official recognition. However, it saddens me, as chair of the Azerbaijan APPG, to think that somebody who has caused so much suffering is being given a platform to speak at a prestigious institution like Chatham House.” Baroness Manzoor of Knightsbridge continued: “The occupation
08 / 2015
The protest against the visit of Bako Sahakyan was noisy and vehement (Photo: Andrew Wiard)
of Azerbaijani territory has continued for over 20 years and it is time that negotiation is undertaken by Armenia in good faith. Such events as this, that offer false legitimacy to the occupying forces, serve to hamper and confuse any process that could lead to a resolution.” Condemnation was also received from overseas political figures. French MP Jérôme Lambert, Vice-President of the European Affairs Commission in the French National Assembly, commented: “I share the outrage of my British counterparts because, in fact, these methods jeopardise the fragile stability in the region and the negotiations towards peaceful resolution of this conflict.” In Germany, Dr Peter Tauber, General Secretary of the Christian Democrats, the German governing party, stated: “Germany supports the UN resolutions. The UN Security Council has repeatedly demanded that Armenia should withdraw from Nagorno-Karabakh. This view is supported by the European Union and the OSCE.” Tobias Zech (CDU), Bundestag Member, added: “The unilateral proclamation of the so-called ‘Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh’ is still not recognised by the international community. This is still our opinion. For this reason, the European Union has also condemned the alleged 2010 ‘parliamentary elections’ in Nagorno-Karabakh as unlawful.” Prior to the visit, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry made a formal protest to the UK. H.E. Irfan Siddiq, UK Ambassador to the UK, was invited to meet Khalaf Khalafov, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister, to hear protestations. It was noted that this situation is at odds with the spirit of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and the UK. Ambassador Siddiq reiterated that the UK does not recognise or have relations with the regime in Nagorno-Karabakh, and pledged to covey the concerns of the Azerbaijani side to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). The Azerbaijani Embassy in the UK also made an official visit to the FCO on this issue and delivered a letter of protest. In response, the FCO commented that it remains supportive of Azerbaijani sovereignty and territorial integrity, and does not recognise the regime created in Nagorno-Karabakh. It also assured Azerbaijan that Mr Sahakyan would have no opportunity to meet UK officials in London. H.E. Tahir Taghizade, Azerbaijani Ambassador to the UK – who attended the debate – recalled: “He was speaking in Armenian with translation, which was tedious and very time-consuming. The organisers tried to somehow relieve the dissatisfaction with the speech and tried to restrict this to questions on tourism, the economy and related matters.”
www.teas.eu
14
Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict
Landmark Khojaly Massacre book launched in the UK Parliament
The book Khojaly Witness of a War Crime: Armenia in the Dock has been launched in the House of Lords. The event was hosted by Lord Kilclooney and organised by TEAS. Those attending included Lord Foulkes, Lord Addington and Bob Blackman MP. The book launch commemorated the victims of the Khojaly Massacre in 1992, the worst single atrocity of the Armenian– Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. On the night of 25–26 February 1992, 613 civilians were brutally murdered. The death toll included 106 women, 63 children and 70 elderly people. Ian Peart, Project Co-ordinator, TEAS, who co-edited the book, stated: “Khojaly Witness of a War Crime: Armenia in the Dock, is the first independent publication about the Khojaly Massacre to be published in the West in English.” He went on to say that: “Armenia has refused to accept responsibility for what happened, going as far as to say that Azerbaijanis killed their own people in order to make the Armenians appear to be the aggressors. This is why it was so important for us to produce as much evidence as we could. The book includes interviews with witnesses of the events in Khojaly, materials published in the international press, the views of foreign researchers, reports from international organisations and rare pictures taken by international photographers. Please read the book and think about what you can do to help these people.”
Bob Blackman MP, Chairman, Azerbaijan All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), said: “It is a scandal that there are four UN Security Council Resolutions on Nagorno-Karabakh which have not been acted upon in over 20 years, whilst for others, such as that on Libya, immediate action was taken. It is unacceptable that Armenia continues to occupy Azerbaijani territory over which it has no right, and that so many Azerbaijanis have been displaced due to a process of ethnic cleansing. The UN should hang its head in shame at the lack of action to resolve this, and to bring those responsible for Khojaly to justice.”
Ambassador Taghizade stressed that the perpetrators of the Khojaly Massacre need to brought to justice to avoid the recurrence of such tragedies
Co-editor Ian Peart explained the justification for the new book
H.E. Tahir Taghizade, Azerbaijani Ambassador to the UK, said: “There are people who share military, moral and legal responsibility for what occurred in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Until they are brought to justice, we will have no guarantee that there will be no recurrence of such an event. The massacre in Khojaly was just the most recent in a long line of tragic events to which Azerbaijanis have been subjected in recent years. There are people in Armenia who are considered to be intellectuals, and yet participated in this, the reasoning being that Azerbaijanis had to know that they meant ‘business’. This is the most tragic aspect, as for them, this was nothing more than ‘business’.” Fiona Maclachlan, co-editor of the book, sadly passed away last year. Alastair Maclachlan, her husband, spoke on her behalf. He said: “Fiona loved Azerbaijan and its people. When Fiona came back from having interviewed the survivors of Khojaly, she said she was honoured and very moved. Fiona was motivated by the generosity and warmth of people who had been through a great deal, yet wanted to give so much, despite having so little. She also shared their desire to see justice, and the belief that, at some point, they would return home. Fiona genuinely hoped that this book would make a difference to the people who had suffered and that it would do the same for those who read it.” Dennis Sammut, Director, LINKS think-tank, has focused on the Armenian–Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh for many years. He has sought to increase understanding between the sides, and commented: “Preventing another Khojaly from ever happening again in the Caucasus region should be our primary responsibility. I agree that those who committed such crimes as Khojaly should face justice, and welcome the publication of this book. We need to remember those who died at Khojaly and in other tragedies in the Caucasus region. This book is certainly an important contribution to this endeavour.” To order a copy, go to http://bit.ly/khojalywitnessbook
Dilham Asgarov refuses to ask pardon from occupying forces Dilham Asgarov (aged 54), who was captured by Armenian forces in July last year in the occupied Kelbajar region of Azerbaijan and sentenced to life in prison by a ‘court’ organised by the illegal occupying forces in Nagorno-Karabakh has refused to ask his captors – headed by Bako Sahakyan
08 / 2015
– for a pardon. According to the Armenian media, Eric Beglaryan, acting in the role of a ‘lawyer’, made the announcement. Mr Asgarov, who crossed the border to visit the graves of his relatives, was taken hostage in occupied Kelbajar and sentenced
to life imprisonment. Shahbaz Guliyev (aged 46), his friend, was sentenced to 22 years’ imprisonment. A third man – Hasan Hasanov (aged 38) – was shot dead. The International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) recently visited both hostages in captivity, where they delivered letters from family members.
www.teas.eu
15
Perspectives on the Mosaic Leadership Programme Personalities – AleksandrasConflict Brokas Nagorno-Karabakh
13 15
Case against Armenia in ECHR upheld After a decade of adjudication, a Grand Chamber judgment in the case of Chiragov and Others vs. Armenia (application no. 13216/05) in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg determined – by a majority – that Armenia was committing a: • continuing violation of Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 (protection of property) in the European Convention on Human Rights; • continuing violation of Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life) of the Convention; • continuing violation of Article 13 (right to an effective remedy). The case concerned complaints by six Azerbaijani refugees that they were unable to return to their homes and property in the Azerbaijani district of Lachin. They had been forced to flee in 1992 during the Armenian–Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. There are currently more than 1000 individual applications pending before the Court, lodged by persons displaced during the conflict. In the applicants’ case, the Court confirmed that Armenia exercised effective control over Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding territories and thus had jurisdiction over the Lachin district.
The Court considered that there was no justification for denying the applicants access to their property without providing compensation. The fact that peace negotiations were ongoing did not free the Government from their duty to take other measures. The court decided that it was necessary to initiate an easily accessible property claims mechanism that would allow the applicants and others in their situation to have their property rights restored and obtain compensation. The court also threw out the objection by the Armenian government that Armenia does not maintain effective control over Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven surrounding districts. The Court ruled that Armenia was responsible for the conflict, which was initiated and followed through by members of the current ruling regime. Additionally, the Court stated that Armenian military and financial support remains fundamental to maintaining the occupation. In response, Baroness Zahida Manzoor CBE of Knightsbridge stated: “This ECHR ruling has exploded the myth that the conflict was fought by indigenous Armenians from within Nagorno-Karabakh. This was an invasion of Azerbaijani sovereign territory by Armenia. It is important to note this so that negotiations
The ECHR in Strasbourg decided that the Armenian occupation constituted a continuing violation of three articles in the European Convention on Human Rights
towards a peaceful resolution can be approached with honesty, and hopefully finally start to make some progress.” Stephen Hepburn, MP for Jarrow, explained that the Armenian government should benefit from the opportunities created by this judgement and admit its role in the occupation of Azerbaijani territories. He concluded: “They should also start serious negotiations in order to achieve a diplomatic breakthrough after 20 years of stagnation.” To read the full ECHR judgement, go to http://bit.ly/ECHRNK
PACE co-rapporteur reflects on the impact of Karabakh The co-author of a report calling for political and judicial reforms in Azerbaijan has told MEPs that the ongoing Armenian occupation in Nagorno-Karabakh is a ‘gospel truth’ that overshadows everything else in the nation. The comments were made by Polish MP Tadeusz Iwinski, who was a PACE co-rapporteur, together with Spanish Senator Pedro Agramunt, tasked with investigating the development of Azerbaijani democratic institutions ahead of the November parliamentary elections.
He successfully fought off Armenianled attempts to have all references to
the conflict redacted from the document during debates at the PACE Summer session in Strasbourg. Mr Iwinski commented that: “The issue of NagornoKarabakh overshadows everything (in Azerbaijan).” PACE delegate and Azerbaijani MP Elkhan Suleymanov acknowledged that foreign policy is dominated by the occupation. He explained that developments in Ukraine had further destabilised the region, and said that: “The rapporteurs’ report is realistic about the political development of a nation with less than 25 years of democratic history after seven decades
Two missing Azerbaijani servicemen found dead
The bodies of two Azerbaijani servicemen, who went missing on 23 June, were found in the mined area on the opposite side of the ‘contact line’ two days later. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facilitated the search for the two Azerbaijani servicemen – junior sergeants Musa Musayev and Tural Yolchuyev – who supposedly went missing in a forested mountainous area along the state border in the Azerbaijani Gazakh district. Their bodies were taken from the mined area.
08 / 2015
of Soviet rule. To have removed all references to an occupation that, to this day, blights the lives of so many people would have been an injustice in itself.” Officially, the international community supports the role of the OSCE Minsk Group in achieving a negotiated peace, but Mr Iwinski was dismissive of its chances after two decades of attempts. He said: “The OSCE Minsk Group is dead – what you see is the status quo.” He added that the issue would continue to cast its shadow over Azerbaijani politics and society for years to come.
Three Armenian drones destroyed
On 7 July, the Azerbaijani armed forces destroyed an Armenian unmanned ‘drone’ aircraft as it attempted to fly over Azerbaijani positions near the ‘contact line’. The Azerbaijani Defence Ministry commented: “An Armenian DJI Inspire1 (Quadcopter) drone attempting to fly over the positions of the Azerbaijani armed forces on the ‘contact line’ in the direction of Fuzuli region has been discovered and destroyed due to the vigilance of the army.” This was the third provocation by the Armenian armed forces within two days – on 6 July, Azerbaijani armed forces destroyed two Armenian drones near the ‘contact line’ in the Tartar region.
www.teas.eu
08 / 2015
www.teas.eu