Elchin Shikhlinski

What are the differences and similarities between the Armenian and Azerbaijani mass media?

There are more similarities than differences between the mass media of Azerbaijan and Armenia. I think this is because our people lived within a single state called the USSR for more than 70 years. This impacts the work of journalists - both Azerbaijan and Armenia as well as a number of other former USSR countries have common problems in acquiring information, expressing liberal ideas and freedom of speech. The difference between our journalists and Armenian journalists lies in views on the reasons, implications and ways of a just resolution of the Karabakh conflict and the assessment of the 1915 events in Ottoman Turkey. No other special differences can be seen between Azerbaijani and Armenian journalists.

Does this mean that the Azerbaijani and Armenian people are close in terms of lifestyle, traditions, culture and so on?

The similarity of Azerbaijani and Armenian journalism at present is most likely caused not by closeness in outlook, traditions, culture and so on but by the fact that we share the same profession. However, there certainly are plenty of similarities between Azerbaijanis and Armenians.

Does this explain why when they are outside Azerbaijan and Armenia, our people make friends and families and set up businesses together?

I would like to remember an episode from my own life during service in the Soviet Army in the German Democratic Republic. In the military unit in this now defunct state, all the Caucasians, primarily Azerbaijanis, Armenians and Georgians, called each other compatriots, were close, shared whatever they had and even fought together against representatives of other ethnic groups living in the former USSR. I think this is because both our people live in the same region, are close in temperament, traditions and views of life. All these similarities and not differences between our countries lead to friendship between Azerbaijanis and Armenians in third countries.

And finally, is there hope that our peoples will be able get over their losses during the Karabakh conflict and live in peace and neighbourliness?

I think there is hope. Moreover, if the representatives of different superpowers that pursue their mercantile and pragmatic goals stop interfering in relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, our people will find a common language quickly and settle all the problems between them, which will ensure their peaceful coexistence.

Akper Hasanov
News.Az