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"In independent Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan (1918-1920) Turkic was adopted as an official language. At the beginning the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic (1920-1991) the name of the official language also was Turkic," writes the Azerbaijani service of "Radio Liberty".

The article says that in the late 1930s, the name of the language was changed into Azerbaijani, as well as the name of the people. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, in 1992, after a lot of debates, the Azerbaijani parliament, decided to use the word "Turk" in the name of the state language. The new name of "Azerbaijani" language was approved in 1995 by adopting a new constitution.

Discussion about the correct name of the language still continue, “Radio Liberty” says. Thus, the former education minister Firudin Jalilov stated: “From the very beginning, when I took up the pen, I was against the word "Azeri", because this word was on Persian. Why should we call our language by Persian word?”

According to Jalilov, if the name of the nation is written Azerbaijanis in the constitution then the language of the people automatically is considered as Azerbaijani. "It means that this also proceeds from the wrong definition of national identity," he said.

However, Jalilov did not insist on calling the language "Turkic", saying: "All the speakers of Turkic languages, have its own name: Uzbek, Tatar, Kyrgyz, Turkmen and Azeri. To Separate one of them and then call it Turkic would be wrong from the point of view of the science. Just like it was once been wrongly done in Turkey."

Head of the Institute of Linguistics of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan Fahraddin Veysalli stated that if the language would be called Turkic, it will be difficult to differentiate between the Turkish and Azerbaijani. "Radio Liberty" explains that the in Azerbaijani the word "Turkish" and "Turkic" is spelled in the same way as “türk”, but is read like a "Tyurk" with a "yu". According Veysalli today it’s wrong to use the "Azerbaijani" or "Azerbaijani language".

F. Jalilov stated that the language was called "Azerbaijani" for political reasons. "It was a step undertaken by a political objective. In fact, during Mamed Emin Rasulzade’s reign our language was called Turkic, and the nation – Turks. And in passports of my parents in 1936, was written "Turk." By Stalin's order the name of the nationality "Turk" was eliminated, and was changed into "Azerbaijani," he said.

Professor Kamil Veli Narimanoglu also stated that the issue of the name of the language in Azerbaijan has political bases. "This step by Heydar Aliyev was an order of Russia and the United States," he said. The professor said that there is nothing more tragic than changing the name of a people and their language. "Naming the language correctly was a big blow to the concept of “historical homeland," said Narimanoglu.

The professor also said that before the Russian scientists have begun to use the term "Azerbaijani", all the sources and in all documents term "Turkic" was used. "Azerbaijan" is the name of the state, and language is Turkic, Azerbaijani Turkic.

"We determine our national identity, identification. One thing is how we call ourselves, another how the others call. Now we write all over the world that our official language is Azerbaijani. If we change the name, what would we gain? This is a dangerous path," F. Jalilov said.

As Professor Rahman Badalov stated, one should not consider this a simple question. "On one hand we want to be Turks, on the other hand, we want to distinguish ourselves from the Ottomans. It is a difficult process. The issue will not be solved if we will call ourselves Turks. Maybe we should say "Azeri Turks"? ... However, we did not do that as well," he said.

Former Education Minister of Azerbaijan Firudin Jalilov said that the expression "Azerbaijani nation" is wrong from the scientific point of view.