Is Moscow on Azerbaijan's Side in "Caricature War"?

PanARMENIAN.Net - In the reply of Moscow administration official V. Oleynik the tragedy at the market is not mentioned at all. Arguing the inadmissibility of the protest action in front of the embassy of Azerbaijan the representative of municipal administration writes: "Carrying out meetings in front of the embassy of Azerbaijan is impossible since the participants of the meeting can capture the embassy or hurt embassy staff members because of national disagreement..." It is not clear where does the information about the attack on Azeri diplomats come from, because the initiators of the demonstration are peaceful people who have no intension to undertake violence.

In this sense the reasoning of the refusal sounds not so convincing, especially because a few weeks ago Moscow administration gave sanction to the Communist Party activists' demonstration in front of the same embassy of Azerbaijan. On January 16 communists picketed the embassy in protest against the support of official Baku to the PACE resolution on "International condemnation of communist regimes". So why are communists allowed to protest against offence to their dignity whereas Christians are not allowed to express their attitude to the sacrilege of Azeri journalists?

In Baku they tried to assert that the planned action of protest was initiated by Armenians. This silly assertion was denied by the picket organizers themselves, who have nothing to do neither with the Armenian community nor with the Armenian government and the Armenian Apostolic Church. They are just pious people who are indignant at the dirty trick of Baku published "Yeni Khabar" newspaper which was not condemned by the government of Azerbaijan. The initiators of the action demanded public apologies not from the editor of "Yeni Khabar" Faik Balabeyli who is not expected to display any humanness but from the ambassador of Azerbaijan in Moscow - Polad Byulbyuloghli. The authors of the meeting application were surprised at the fact that being in Baku, Vladimir Putin condemned the publication of caricatures on prophet Mohammad in the European mass media but did not say a single word about the offence to the religious feelings of Christians by Azeri journalists. Maybe this is the reason why the Russian president was honored with the highest award of the Azeri Muslims leadership - the brilliant Sheykh-ul-Islam medal which has been given to only two mortals - father and son Alievs.

Meanwhile, it should be mentioned that the unprecedented trick of the Azeri newspaper has caused indignation not only in Christian but also Muslim countries. Articles, condemning the sacrilege of Azeri journalists were published also in Iranian press. As it is known, Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin are honored in Islam too. Muslims call Jesus Isoy and consider him the penultimate prophet. Probably the uneducated editor who reacted to the caricatures on Mohammad simply did not know that...

It is impossible to draw parallels between the thoughtless step of European publishers and the provocation of the Azeri editor. Publication of caricatures in the Copenhagen newspaper was not aimed at insulting Muslims. It was just a thoughtless step, which was made without taking into account certain features specific of Islam. As for the Azeri editor, he still does not conceal the fact that he wanted to take revenge on Europeans by offending the religious feelings of all Christians. The phrase "sly Jesus - the son of fallen woman Mary..." which was written under the dirty caricature can be perceived in no other way.

Should the government of Azerbaijan account for the ignorance of the pro-governmental newspaper's editor? It appears that they should because it is the government, which has created an atmosphere in which such things have become possible. Baku leaders realize that they have a share of guilt in what has happened. This can be noticed in the reaction of the management of state "Azerbaijan" editorial that printed "Yeni Khabar" newspaper. The management of the printing house is trying to deny connection with the newspaper's provocation. Having received proper instructions from the presidential administration the head of "Azerbaijan" editorial says that the ill-fated issue with caricatures on Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin was printed not in the state but some other private printing house. He says that otherwise the provocation would be prevented. Meanwhile, the date line of the newspaper clearly says that the issue is printed in the printing house of "Azerbaijan" editorial. And besides, for what reason could the issue be printed in another editorial?

In any case it can be noticed that after the powerful international resonance Aliev's administration realized that the reputation of Azerbaijan has seriously suffered from the caricature scandal. But even after this, the only thing the government did was the instruction to the state editorial to cancel the contract with "Yeni Khabar" newspaper. And nothing more... And no apologies...