In Azerbaijan the year 2010 has been inaugurated with a Russian version of the principal propaganda mouthpiece, State TV and Radio Company AzTV. The new, trilingual, website has been launched today, January 10. The attitude to the Russian language dramatically changed in Azerbaijan during past year, especially after President Ilham Aliyev’s official visit to the Ulyanovsk region. Specifically, the news programs ceased giving Azerbaijani interpretations of the “great” thoughts of the Azeri leader and of his family members. Also, the 15-minute limit on the Russian-language news program “Habarlar” has been removed.

So the Russian version has been launched not only amid the improving Russian-Azerbaijani relations – at least officially declared improvement – but also amid the nearing anniversary of the Armenian pogroms in Baku and of the so-called “Khojali genocide.” No doubt, the newly launched Russian version of AzTV is supposed to play an active role in spreading misinformation on Armenia and on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict throughout the world.

Although the low professional level of the AzTV staff is unlikely to help the world to know the “truth” about Armenian and Nagorno-Karabakh, Yerevan’s not taking adequate measures cannot be justified. The Armenian Public TV has no news programs in Russian. This is the reason why the Russian-speaking population of Armenia has for many years been unable to receive information in Russian. Moreover, it is also a hindrance to informing the international community of official Yerevan’s position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The website of the Armenian Public TV has no Russian version either.