“There was a massacre in Baku, and everyone started saying ‘Armenia’”: Elchibey’s remarks to Erbakan go viral — VIDEO
“When the Russian army entered Baku, not a single Muslim country raised its voice. How are we supposed to view Muslim solidarity?”
Azerbaijan’s second president, Abulfaz Elchibey, made these remarks during a conversation with prominent Turkish politician Necmettin Erbakan in 1992, TodayPress TV reports.
The meeting took place on December 16, 1992, at the presidential residence in Baku. While receiving Erbakan and the large Turkish delegation accompanying him, Elchibey sharply criticised what he described as the double standards in Muslim countries’ attitudes towards Azerbaijan.
“Was even a single shell fired at Armenia? They all started saying ‘Armenia’. Even Arab countries said, ‘Give Karabakh to Armenia and be done with it’.”
These remarks were made during one of Azerbaijan’s most difficult periods, when the Karabakh war was ongoing and Russian troops were in the process of being withdrawn from the country.
Elchibey’s speech is now being widely shared alongside ongoing discussions in Azerbaijan about a unified school uniform policy and the principles of secular education. As far back as 34 years ago, he openly stated that emotional considerations and political interests prevailed in the attitudes of Muslim countries. Today, the question of whether religion can serve as a common denominator remains relevant.
Elchibey’s words once again highlight the historical importance of relying on one’s own strength and principled stance rather than expecting solidarity on matters of national interests and statehood.
Turkan Isgandarli
