Mahmud Chekhraganly: a stranger amongst friends

Orkhan Sattarov, exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

The leader of the national liberation movement of southern Azerbaijan, Mahmud Chekhraganly, tried to visit Turkey, but the Turkish authorities didn’t let him. The US citizen Mahmud Chekhrangaly and his son were deported from the airport of Ankara without explaining any reasons. The Azerbaijani agency Turan reminds that Chekhraganly decided to go to Turkey for first time in sic years. He was invited there as a guest to the session of the opposition party National Movement which took place on Sunday. At the beginning of his political career Chekhrangaly stood for federalization and democratization of Iran, but after his arrest and migration to the US his position became radical. In his interview he states on inevitable reunifying of South and North Azerbaijan and necessity to fight for independence of Iranian Azerbaijanis.

Probably such a position would be welcomed by the former president of Azerbaijan late Abulfaz Elchibei who spread the idea of “united Azerbaijan with the capital in Tabriz.” But the current Azerbaijani authorities provide a pragmatic course toward their neighbors and distance themselves from interference into Iran’s affairs. Moreover, in friendly Turkey the authorities are no more nationalists who stood for the idea of the Turk unity of the Caucasus and Central Asia, but moderate Islamists who confuse political analysts with their policy.

Since 2005 Chekhrangaly cannot arrive either in Azerbaijan or in Turkey, despite his efforts. Last week he tried to get a visa in the Turkish embassy in Washington on the ground of the invitation, but he failed again.

“I was told that if I have the American passport, if can get visa right in the airport of Ankara, and no problems will appear,” Chekhrangaly said. Moreover, he expected that he would be welcomed in Ankara by many people with Azerbaijani flags and pictures of Mamedemin Rasulzade and Abulfaz Elchibei.

However, the Turkish authorities didn’t make such a provocative step as welcoming the leader of the movement for independence of Iranian Azerbaijan, despite all disputes between Iran and Turkey in the question of Syria.

It is notable that the opposition activist is not welcomed in the Azerbaijani Republic too. In 2006 after deportation from Istanbul, Chekhrangaly arrived to Baku. But right from the Baku airport he was sent to the US.

The chairman of the State Committee on Work with Azerbaijanis Living Abroad, Nazim Ibragimov commented the incident to the agency Day.az. According to him Chekhrangaly’s activity is dangerous for his life. “Some hostile forces could make certain steps toward Chekhrangaly,” the head of the State Committee said. “Any reasonable person understands this. His staying here contributes to activity of our enemies. We have to prevent it.” Ibragimov stressed that Azerbaijan doesn’t “interfere in affairds of friendly Iran.”

At the same time, the head of the press service of the Waking-Up Movement of South Iran in Baku, Agry Garadagly told Day.az that Chekhraganly was forced to go to Heydar Alieyv airport on June 10 by military men. According to him, it was made in favor of security. Garadagly called the episode “a shameful act of betrayal by the Azerbaijani authorities.”

At the moment we can see repetition of the events of 2006. And the position of Ankara and Baku seems to be unchanged. The difference is that Chekhrangaly hasn’t tried to go to Baku yet, but he plans to do it in the near future. Most probably Heydar Aliyev airport will be the only place in Baku which he will manage to visit. Since 2006 Iran’s regional importance grew. And Azerbaijan won’t damage rather cloudy relations with Tehran in favor of the leader of the national liberation movement.