Eurasia Diary held an exclusive interview with Israeli Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mr.Dan Stav.

Mr.Dan Stav has highlighted the relations between two countries,and shared his impressions on Azerbaijan ant its people.The following text is the transcript of the interview that Mr.Dan Stav gave to Eurasia Diary.

E.D: - Mr. Ambassador , initially, please, give us information about yourself in short case ? What impressions did you have upon arrival to Azerbaijan?

D.Stav : -  I was born in Israel, son of a family of refugees from Germany. I always wanted to be part of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  I studied International Relations in the Hebrew University. And then I joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about 31 years ago.  This is roughly my background.  I have been specializing for many years in South Asia. And my posting in Azerbaijan is an Ambassador of Israel is in fact my first experience with the South Caucasus area.

E.D:- Before your visit to Azerbaijan, may be you heard a lot that, Azerbaijan is known for its traditions of multiculturalism. You stayed and worked in here more than year. And now what can you say about it?

 D.Stav :- I think for Israelis, we arrived to Azerbaijan and it was exposed to the fascinating history of the Jewish people that has arrived here according to some legends  on just after 720 before Christ according to the legends and maybe a bit later. But it’s a long history. But the Jewish people who arrived here never suffered from any anti-Semitism neither from population, nor from the previous regimes that have ruled the country.  Bearing in mind that Azerbaijan has a very dramatic history with millennia of conflicts and invasions it is really remarkable that Jewish people were really accepted as part of the puzzle of the Azerbaijani society. So what I want to say is that for Azerbaijan this is my impression that is getting strengthened all the time. Multiculturalism and tolerance is not some idea that I imported from outside as imposed by outside rulers, but it is something that deeply ingrained in the psycho of the Azeri people in its very core values of this society and it is also strengthened by the government of this country.

E.D:- We know that one of the tourists who want to travel a lot all over the world is Israel tourist. What do attract them in Azerbaijan? And what should be done for the development of tourist relations?

D.Stav: - Azerbaijan has one advantage and one disadvantage when it comes to tourism from Israel. The big advantage is that you have a very strong population from Azeri origin that serve as advocators of the wonders that can be found in Azerbaijan.  On the disadvantage side is that sadly there is no Azerbaijan Embassy in Israel that can promote this tourism or can take care of any consistent and continuous efforts to promote the Azerbaijani tourism. And you know that international tourism is a very competitive market and whoever makes effort win the tourism Azerbaijan has a huge potential. Firstly, the people here are very friendly. Secondly, you have a very fascinating heritage. Thirdly, the food is excellent. Fourth, you have wonderful sceneries and nature. You have different sceneries closed to each-other: desert, green mountains, Snowcap Mountains, and rich valleys etc. All these combination promise a lot. Obviously, it is needed to be campaigned consistently in my home country in order to attract more tourism. Having say that I see that there is a continuous search in the number of tourists coming to Israel I have heard about the number of groups that are going to explore the country. And I think it is a very good sign and it is the result of the good work that is done by Azeri Israelis.

E.D.:- The main issue which is very important for Azerbaijan position in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. What is the position of Israel on this conflict?

D.Stav:- I fully understand the importance of the relations of Azerbaijan with  Armenia around the conflict that includes Nagorno-Karabakh, plus 7 other districts that are completely or partly controlled by Armenia for the time being. Position of Israel is very clear about it. Israel supports the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Based on our own experience in trying to resolve conflicts including territorial conflicts with our neighbors we support the negotiations between sides and the peaceful resolution of the all the pending questions between the sides and in this regard we support the efforts of the Minsk Group to bring about peaceful resolution of the conflict.

E.D: - Mr. Ambassador, many countries have recognized the right of Palestine to establish a state. In addition, many international organizations have recognized Palestine as a member. Does Israel think that establishment of independent Palestinian state will stop conflict between Arab and Jewish communities?

D.Stav: - We strongly believe that only way to solve the Israel- Palestinian conflict is through direct negotiations between the sides. The negotiations that are result-oriented and done benefited to both sides. Successive Prime Ministers in Israel supported and still support the two states solution which means and Palestinian state living side by side next to Israel. Sadly that Palestinian side was always looking for the excuses to avoid any negotiations and rather than go to Jerusalem or other places to have direct negotiations with Israel , the head of the Palestinian authority prefers to go to Geneva in Europe, as well as in the globe,  in order to incite and instigate against the Israel, activate International Organizations try to pass very biased resolutions in international bodies using the automatic majority that it enjoyed to in international forums. But we don’t think that this is the right way to proceed. We still think that if there is a genuine will on the Palestinian side to solve the conflict which has been lingering for decades for the benefits of both peoples. Israel and Palestinian peoples- it should be done via direct negotiations. Having say that PM of Israel clearly said that the root cause of this conflict is the continuous rejection from the side of Palestinians, the notion of the Israel as the nation home of Jewish people. As Palestinian keep on the rejecting this fact, I am afraid that it will be very hard to get the progress of these negotiations.

E.D : -  Mr.Ambassador, but how the last understanding of Turkey with Russia could attract the relationship with Israel? 

D.Stav:- The relations with is Turkey is very importance for Israel. Indeed, Israel did a lot of effort to come to turn Turkey with better relations. Israel has had very good relations with Turkey and obviously, we are interested in continuation of this relation especially recently an agreement was reached between the two sides about reconciliation. We are looking forward to move into this reconciliation process. I believe our relation with Turkey has nothing to do with the current situation between Russia and Turkey. Obviously we welcome improvement of every relation between two countries, but it doesn’t affect our relations with Turkey or Russia. We want to have good relation with both countries.

E.D: - At last, Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu is planning to visit Kazakhstan and possibly Azerbaijan this winter, he said  to journalists. Can you give any information about this visit?

D.Stav: -  Indeed Prime Minister expressed his willingness and desire to visit Baku, and as it has been agreed, the coordination of the visit will be done through Diplomatic Channel. Once we find the mutually convenient time for the visit, there will be an announcement on that. But certainly, Prime Minister’s desire reflected the excellent relation between Israel and Azerbaijan, especially between Azerbaijani president and Israel Prime Minister . They met each other in many international forums and always have excellent discussion.