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Azerbaijani Ambassador to Russia Polad Bulbul oglu stated that they need to "continue looking for common ground between Armenians and Azerbaijanis", while alike statements of the screenwriter Rustam Ibrahimbekov had caused a storm of criticism among the authorities, says Azerbaijani news portal "Minval.az."

"Why double standards are used between Ibrahimbekov and Bulbul oglu?" asks the author of the article.

According to the Azerbaijani political analyst Zafar Guliyev, the ambassador’s statements are certainly agreed with the authorities. "As an official, he is allowed to voice such thoughts from time to time. You can also remember that in previous years he often was engaged in "people's diplomacy" games which were periodically organized by the official circles either of Azerbaijan or Armenia. I am positive about the possibilities of the public diplomacy if they are initiated by the people, public officials. However, it is not effective when these games are held by the power structures," the expert said.

As for the double standards, if an independent public member, intellectual or oppositionist expresses such an idea and not an official, he is immediately accused of pro-Armenian views, Guliyev believes. "A good example is Rustam Ibrahimbekov, who speaking about the same possibilities of public diplomacy, peace negotiations and peaceful solution of the problem, etc.,” he said.

According to Guliyev, this situation is explained by the fact that since Heydar Aliyev’s times the Karabakh problem has been monopolized by the highest circles of the power, and even within the government itself only specific individuals could talk about the Karabakh problem. He believes that any reasoning expressed on this issue is immediately subjected to unwarranted criticism unless it is agreed with the authorities. Political analyst also noted that the double standards often appear within the country.

"The real opposition is accused of being close to the Armenians. There are some facts that Isa Gambar was meeting with the leaders of the Democratic Party of Armenia. We can see a continuous controversy. Azerbaijani Ambassador Polad Bulbul oglu speaks on the necessity of establishing good relations, close contacts between the intellectuals of the two countries, while in the same time the image of the enemy, which is Armenia, is being inculcated and any contact with them are reprehensible," Guliyev said.

He added that for many years Azerbaijani authorities put forward farfetched facts against their political opponents concerning their pro-Armenian relations and sympathy for him. "In this regard, the ruling power constantly exposes itself and shows that their periodic game in public diplomacy and this kind of statements of the ambassador mean nothing. Azerbaijan’s public is already used to these contradictions," concluded the Azerbaijani expert.