"The Great Wall of Azerbaijan"

PanARMENIAN.Net - The initiative of erecting a wall belongs to the deputies of Azerbaijani parliament. The idea has been supported by Azeri public figures and several mass media. Public discussions of the crazy initiative are already underway still without the involvement of state structures. But the very fact that the idea is put forward by representatives of the ruling party, gives grounds to suppose that it is agreed with the presidential administration. According to the idea, the wall, similar to the Great Chinese Wall, built along the state borderline should divide Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenia. This is what is the real essence of the "Great Wall of Azerbaijan". The wall will help isolate not Armenia from Azerbaijan but Armenia from Karabakh. Pursuing the same aim Azeris suggest deploying peacemaking forces not between Armenian and Azeri villages in Karabakh, but again along the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border. This issue is discussed even by Azeri officials, for example the deputy foreign minister Araz Azimov. The goal is quite clear - to isolate Armenia, so that we are unable to defend Karabakh.

Something like a wall of this type already exists not between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but on the contact point of Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in Lower Karabakh. The matter concerns strengthening installations, which will be dismantled after Karabakh conflict resolution. As for the great wall, Azeris are going to build it not for solving concrete local problems, but for the future. Of course, the wall will not be an obstacle in case of military actions. The initiators of wall construction realize this and emphasize that the barrier will rather have psychological significance.

Majlis deputy Zakhid Orudj says that the initiative is mainly aimed at making coming generations remember the past, keeping in mind that Armenians are enemies. But for all that every time during negotiations Ilham Aliev promises to make every effort to create an atmosphere of trust between the two nations and eliminate the atmosphere of mutual hostility.

Today the world community is struggling for eliminating barriers between nations, religions and races. Not long ago the world was celebrating the 15th anniversary of demolition of Berlin wall symbolizing the barrier between West and East. Fragments of Berlin wall are kept in museums so that nations remember that such walls are inadmissible. Recently European countries expressed indignation about the wall dividing Palestinian and Jewish parts of Jerusalem. In general, the European Union is trying to forget about the existence of borders. All the European structures take great pains to encourage regional integration, which will promote resolution of territorial conflicts. Taking into account all this, pro-governmental Azeri deputies suggest erecting a concrete barrier for reminding nations that Armenians are enemies for centuries. It is not difficult to guess how Europe will react to this initiative.