Armenian-French provocation against Baku and Bishkek failed
Kyrgyz Ministry of Culture comments for Caliber.Az/UPDATED

POLITICS  07 July 2022 - 15:18

The screening of a film promoting the ideas of Armenian separatists was canceled.

15:18

The House of Cinema in Bishkek cancelled the screening of a film promoting the ideas of Armenian separatists.

The reason was the protests of representatives of the Azerbaijani diaspora in the Kyrgyz capital.

Nusrat Mammadov, president of the "Fund to Support the Policy of Turkic Speaking States" operating in Bishkek, and Azizagha Aliyev, chairman of the "Azeri" Public Association, contacted the director of the Cinema House Gulmira Kerimova, explained the essence of the film and demanded its cancellation.

After that, the announcement posted on the website kyrgyzcinema.com was removed and the screening of the film was cancelled.

13:05

Friendly bilateral relations. Turkic unity. The new level of strategic partnership. Declaration on strategic partnership. And all this is about Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan. And it would be very desirable that all this be embodied in reality. However, just one episode, moreover, in such an important issue for the Azerbaijani side as territorial integrity, can seriously damage relations between Baku and Bishkek.

On the official (!?) website of the Department of Cinematography of the Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Policy of the Kyrgyz Republic there is an announcement of the film "Should the Wind Drop" produced by France, Armenia, and Belgium. The film was shot in 2020. In Bishkek, the film will be shown on July 8 at 11.00 at the House of Cinema at Logvinenko, 13.

It would seem unusual why are the Azerbaijani media interested in such an ordinary event as a demonstration of the film in Bishkek? As we noted above, the issue concerns the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. The review of the film says: "The international auditor Alain comes to Artsakh to evaluate the new airport. He encounters the special atmosphere of the self-declared republic and is imbued with its inhabitants, especially the boy Edgar, who has his own business near the airport".

It is clear that Armenians and the French sympathizing with them can shoot fantastic films about mythical "Artsakh" as much as they like, even till they drop. They are fond of this, what can they do. In the same way, Armenians can show this non-science fiction in Armenian cinemas; they can cry and suffer until they are blue in the face. But when the Armenian-French tandem is trying to push these trashy movies to other countries in order to fool the local population with myths about "Artsakh," the intervention of the Azerbaijani side is necessary. And that's what the editorial office of Caliber.Az did.

Our correspondent got in touch with Muktaly Bektenaliyev, the Director of the Department of Cinematography of the Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Policy of the Kyrgyz Republic. And we had the following dialogue with him.

- Muktaly Abdybekovich, tomorrow at the Cinema House, which is under your supervision, the screening of the film "Should the Wind Drop" will take place. We would like to warn you that this is an Armenian provocation not only against the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan but also against friendly Azerbaijani-Kyrgyz relations.

- We were approached by the French ambassador and attache with a request to show this film. They said that they had brought a film with them and would like to hold a private screening at the House of Cinema. I had not heard anything about "Artsakh".

- Nevertheless, this film promotes Armenian separatism in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. In the fall of 2020, Azerbaijan restored its territorial integrity. Kyrgyz society congratulated us on the victory, by the way.

- Then why was it allowed to be shown in our country? The French brought it.

- I understand. The French brought it and it will damage bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan.

- What should I do? If I take this film off the screen, won't the French and the Armenians complain about me to my management?

- You can always say that you acted in accordance with the official position of Bishkek, which recognizes Karabakh as an integral part of Azerbaijan.

- I have no right to prohibit the screening of the film. We have freedom in Kyrgyzstan.

- Freedom does not mean support for separatism.

- And what should I tell the French and the Armenians? That a journalist from Baku prohibits the screening of this film?

- I do not forbid you anything. And I have no right to do this. I only make you aware of the content of the film and the possible consequences of its screening in Bishkek. And the decision is your prerogative.

- Isn't the film banned worldwide?

- It can be shown in Armenia. But what does Kyrgyzstan, a brotherly Turkic country, have to do with it? Hardly any country that values its relations with Azerbaijan will agree to spoil them because of the Armenian-French provocation. In any case, it is up to you to decide.

- This is the first time I've heard of what you are saying. Is there something written about separatism in the annotation of the film?

- I've already explained it to you…

This was the end of our conversation with Muktaly Bektenaliyev. I would like to believe that our interlocutor took note that Kyrgyzstan is secretly planning to be involved in the Armenian-French provocation and he will give the command not to allow the demonstration of the film "Should the Wind Drop" in a state institution. Otherwise, a diplomatic scandal cannot be avoided. However, let's not look ahead, and wait for tomorrow.

Caliber.Az