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Anti-Armenian hysteria continues to expand in Azerbaijan in connection with the publication of the novel written by writer Akram Aylisli “Stone Dreams” which tells of the massacres of Armenians in Nakhijevan in the early 20th century and in Baku at the end of the century. Azerbaijani writer and winner of state awards was accused of “sympathy for the Armenians”. Pro-governmental youth crowded in front of his house. They burnt his portraits and shouted anti-Armenian slogans.

Website Aznews.az held a survey with the Azerbaijani literary critics and public figures. It turned out that most of them had not have even read the book. Those who had read it refused to comment on it. Meanwhile, Azerbaijani poet Musa Yagub believes that dark clouds are looming over Aylilsi head. “I think it is an intentional organized campaign against Akram. Something is being planned against him”, said Musa Yagub.

Executive secretary of the ruling party “Yeni Azerbaijan” Siyavush Novruzov said in his turn that the “Akram Aylisli’s biggest dream is to become an ambassador to Armenia,” Azxeber.com says. “Probably, he also wants to win a Nobel Prize, just like Orhan Pamuk who recognized the Armenian Genocide," said Siyavush Novruzov and reminded that it was Zia Buniyatov that had expressed assumptions about Aylisli’s Armenian origin as the latter was born in Nakhijevan, in a village populated by Armenians. "Now, this fact was confirmed," said the functionary of the ruling party.

“Is it you who should serve an example for the young people, you unscrupulous and dishonest person!” young Azerbaijani poet Ahmed Shaheed said about Akram Aylisli, the Strategiya.az writes.

Azerbaijani MP, poet Musa Guliyev also accused Aylisli in habing an Armenian origin. In an interview with the Modern.az, Musa Guliyev noted that by this novel Aylisli gave another reason to Armenians to claim that they cannot live side by side with barbarous Azerbaijanis. “In the introduction he writes that the book is devoted to his “compatriots” and it is not by chance. This means that he is about Armenians in Agulis,” Musa Guliyev stated.

Meanwhile, Asim Mollazade, Azerbaijani MP, found a “Russian trace” in this incident. As Ann.az reports Mollazade called the novel “a political scandalous trick”, he said that all the events described in the novel are pure inventions, and the novel itself is an order from Russia aimed at undermining the public consolidation in Azerbaijan.

Akram Aylisli in an interview given to Kulis.az stated that in 1988, when the first version of his novel about Agulis was published, he warned that they should not start a fight against the Armenians, as they may lose it. “And what did we gain in the result of the war? I was factually right,” he noted. The Azerbaijani writer also drew attention to the impossibility of holding a dialogue with the Armenians of Karabakh due to the hostile propaganda against them.

“We will have another variant if no Armenian will be left there. But it is impossible. As for Agulis, there really occurred a massacre in that village in 1919. This is a history, a fact. Any aged resident of Agulis can attest it, because they saw it with their own eyes. My uncle, my mother, my grandmother saw this. As for the publication of the updated version of novel, it is my protest against the current politics. It is not directed against the people. Tomorrow we will have to make it up with the Armenians. We are doomed to it.
In connection with the events in Sumgait, we must bravely talk about every fact of injustice and call a spade a spade. If not the writer then the people of Azerbaijan will have to do it. The novel was aimed at showing repentance for our deeds,” the Azerbaijani writer stated.