Europe`s Azeris convene in Berlin
A convention of the Congress of European Azerbaijanis (CAE) was held on Sunday in Berlin, the state body that oversees Azerbaijani diaspora groups told the Baku-based Trend news agency.
CAE president Bashar Komur, addressing the convention after the presidium was elected, said 61 diaspora organizations from numerous European countries were in attendance.
According to Komur, CAE is working hard to counter the anti-Azerbaijani efforts of the Armenian lobby and has taken important steps to bring the truth about the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno Karabakh to the attention of the world community.
Taking the floor afterwards, Azerbaijani Presidential Administration`s department head Ali Hasanov said he closely monitors CAE`s activities.
Hasanov said that since 2004, CAE has held four conventions and elected three presidents who have worked successfully since then. He noted that Azerbaijan`s late national leader, former President Heydar Aliyev had started work on building the diaspora in 1993, proclaiming the ideology of ``Azerbaijanism`` as the main idea.
``Compared with those years our goals have increased even more,`` said Hasanov. He noted that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev both relies on and supports Azerbaijanis living around the world.
Hasanov said that in recent years, Azerbaijan`s growing power and achievements of international importance have been annoying its enemies and prompting them to embark on anti-Azerbaijani activities.
According to Hasanov, great responsibility rests with diaspora organizations in fending off anti-Azerbaijani efforts of hostile forces and communicating true information about the country to the people in Europe and beyond.
The convention was also addressed by the chairman of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora, the Azerbaijani ambassador to Germany, the head of the Coordination Centre of Azerbaijanis in Germany, chairman of the Cultural Center of Azerbaijanis in Georgia, president of the Benelux Azerbaijanis Congress and chairman of the Federation of Turkish-Azerbaijani Associations (TADEF).