Press Release PR-200811#01 - also in Day.az and in 1news.az (in Russian)

November 7, 2008

AAC JOINS AJC AND OCTAA IN "BUILDING BRIDGES FROM THE CASPIAN TO THE MEDITERRANEAN", THE FIRST AZERBAIJANI-JEWISH-TURKISH COMMUNITY FORUM IN THE U.S., WITH PARTICIPATION OF THE CONSUL GENERALS

IRVINE, CA - On November 6th, Azerbaijani-American Council (AAC), the Orange County chapter of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and the Orange County Turkish-American Association (OCTAA) organized a community Forum titled "Building Bridges from the Caspian to the Mediterranean". The special guests of the program were the Los Angeles-based Consul Generals of Azerbaijan - Mr. Elin Suleymanov, Israel - Mr. Jacob Dayan, and Turkey - Mr. Hakan Tekin. Held at the University Synagogue in Irvine, the event attracted over 150 visitors, among them the Mayor of Irvine - Beth Krom, the Chief of Protocol for the County of Orange - Joanne Sokolski, the representatives of press and Azerbaijani, Jewish and Turkish communities in Greater Los Angeles area. The event was moderated by the president of AAC, Javid Huseynov, and the executive director of the Orange County chapter of AJC, Rabbi Marc Dworkin.

Speaking at the special reception before the opening of the Forum,  the representatives from three organizations, Michelle Deniz Drouse (AJC and OCTAA),  Narmina Mamedova (AAC), Hy Algazi (AJC) and Hande Can (OCTAA) informed the attendees about the ongoing dialog between AAC, AJC and OCTAA for over a year. Speakers particularly noted that the purpose of this event is to translate diverse strategic partnership  between Azerbaijan, Israel and Turkey into cooperation of Azerbaijani, Jewish and Turkish communities as well as to further  promote Muslim-Jewish interfaith dialog.

Opening the main part of the Forum, Rabbi Arnold Rakhlis welcomed the audience on behalf of the University Synagogue, thanked the organizers and the three Consul Generals for their help in promoting interfaith and intercultural understanding between Azerbaijani, Jewish and Turkish communities. Welcoming guests further were the AJC OC chapter president Michelle Sholkoff and the OCTAA president Hande Can.

During the event, the Consul Generals briefed the audience about the strategic relations of three countries in various spheres. Responding to the questions from the moderator and the audience, the diplomats emphasized upon common interests of Azerbaijan, Israel and Turkey in matters of regional security, fight against terrorism, energy transportation as well as peaceful solutions to the regional conflicts. Elin Suleymanov and Hakan Tekin talked about the centuries-long history of Jewish communities living in tolerance and synergy within the two predominantly Muslim societies of Azerbaijan and Turkey, while Jacob Dayan acknowledged the leading role of Turkey and Azerbaijan in the establishment of dialog and understanding between Israel and the Muslim world.

Touching upon a sensitive question of Iran's suspected nuclear arms program, diplomats noted that the nuclear arms proliferation in the Middle East can not but cause concern among neighboring states. The Consul General of Azerbaijan indicated that Azerbaijan recognizes the right of countries to develop nuclear technology, however, for solely peaceful purposes and within the scope of international treaties on non-proliferation. The Consul General of Turkey pointed out the need to develop mechanisms for a dialog with Iran to address the regional concerns, and noted his country's ability to serve as a weighty mediator in this matter.

Responding to moderator's question on the recent Russian-Georgian war and the flagrant violation of Georgia's territorial integrity, Elin Suleymanov pointed out that the United States and the European Union should formulate more principled positions in regards to protecting their proclaimed regional interests and allies in the Caucasus. Jacob Dayan reiterated the official position of Israel in its unequivocal support for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. And Hakan Tekin emphasized upon Turkey's commitment to a peaceful coexistence and cooperation with all neighbors in the region, including Armenia.

Speaking further the moderator from AAC, Javid Huseynov, touched upon the recent election of Senator Barack Obama, the first African-American to be the President of the United States, as a turning point in the U.S. history, and asked the Consul Generals to express their views on this subject. The Consul Generals noted that the election of Senator Obama is a successful test for American democracy, and expressed hopes that the new president will restore America's prestige as a global power promoting peace, prosperity and democracy throughout the world. The high-ranking diplomats of Azerbaijan, Israel and Turkey further expressed hopes that during his term, President Obama will continue to strengthen U.S. ties with their respective allied nations.

At the conclusion of the event, Hande Can (OCTAA), Marc Dworkin (AJC) and Javid Huseynov (AAC) presented Appreciation Awards to the Consul Generals on behalf of the their organizations. 

 © 2008 Azerbaijani-American Council