Armenia’s refusal to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012, which is to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, is nothing new, such things happen, author of the book ‘The Eurovision Song Contest: The Official History’ John Kennedy O'Connor told BBC radio station.

He reminded that in 1969 Austria refused to participate in the Eurovision Song contest explaining that the contest was organized by Franco’s fascist regime. Talking about the hostile relations between the two countries, O’ Connor reminded that Azerbaijanis who had voted for Armenia in 2009 were summoned to the investigating authorities.

“I think Azerbaijan should not hold the contest, Amnesty International thinks the same,” O’Connor stressed.

He mentioned that recently human rights were violated in Azerbaijan as people were deprived of their property which was destroyed for preparations to the contest. Even though many people want to go to the contest to see how the situation really is, O’Connor thinks that they will not be able to.

They will be “presenting a smiley happy face to the world while the reality is quite different,” he summarized.