US Says Azerbaijan Has Security Problems – OpEd
By Asim Suleymanov
The US State Department posted information on its website that Azerbaijan belonged to those countries where terrorists can operate and recommended its citizens not to visit Azerbaijan because of the security threat. The State Department asserts that terrorist groups can plan attacks against tourist, transport, trade, government, sports and hotel facilities in Azerbaijan. Therefore, Americans should be more careful. In particular, the State Department recommended not to visit Nagorno-Karabakh and the territories adjacent to the line of contact.
It is noteworthy that the State Department considers Armenia a country where tourists are safe. This information is surprising. The risk of becoming a victim of a terrorist act is much higher in the United States than in Azerbaijan. In addition, such international events as the European games, the Formula One, the Islamic Solidarity Games took place in Azerbaijan. If the country’s leadership did not control the security issues and the situation in the country, these events would not take place in Azerbaijan. In addition, over the past year the number of tourists visited Azerbaijan has increased by 24%.
Why does the State Department try to frighten the Americans? Probably, it is worth revealing the secret to the Americans that if the majority of the population in Azerbaijan is Muslim, it does not mean that the country is subject to a terrorist threat. Why does Washington use fake information? It proves that the US special services are completely unqualified. Speaking about the situation in Azerbaijan the US leadership shows that they do not know the situation. The US has decided that Azerbaijan has problems with corruption, human rights, democracy, and now with security but they just waste words.
The only sound advice of the State Department to the American tourists is not to visit the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. However, they have not mentioned the fact that Nagorno-Karabakh belongs to Azerbaijan and is occupied by Armenia, therefore, according to international law, tourists cannot visit it. The State Department only said about the conflict and the danger of being under fire.
Before standing up with prejudiced statements towards Azerbaijan the US needs to pay attention to the security situation in its country. It is certainly not at the highest level.
