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"I personally do not consider Armenians my enemy. I have repeatedly stated that I'm concerned with the existing situation, and I have always stood for peace between the Azerbaijani and Armenian peoples. I'm not afraid! The authorities have already deprived me of the “People's Writer” title and have pressed on my family, and I am afraid of nothing anymore. My time has passed, and now the most important thing for me is the establishment of peace between our peoples," said the famous Azerbaijani writer Akram Aylisli to portal" Haqqin.az ", commenting on his interview given to the "Russian Reporter."

Aylisli stated once again that the Azerbaijanis are fighting against the Armenians for a land which nobody needs. "Truly, at present attitude towards the land acquires different meaning. That’s why I said that the tension between the nations does not depend on the fact whom this land belongs to, and the problem here is much deeper. I believe that the Azerbaijanis and Armenians will live in peace again, if the politicians do not disturb them," he said.

As stated in the material Aylisli does not consider himself an Azerbaijani patriot.

"Where have you seen a patriot writer? He should write whatever he suggest his mind and heart. Creative people should not be inherent to nationalism and patriotism. Did you know what Jalil Mamedkulizade wrote in one of his articles in the journal "Molla Nasreddin" about the Armenians? In 1909, he wrote that after he visited the Armenian village Aylis, he saw the joy in people's faces, cleanliness of streets, civilized people, and on returning to Azerbaijani villages, he saw only weeping and torture. Why nobody accuses Jalil Mamedkulizade for the lack of patriotism and does not dismantle his statue? Because he's a great writer and he wrote what he saw and as he saw," he said.

Akram Aylisli denied also the rumors that he allegedly expects to win a Nobel Prize, as the writer Orhan Pamuk once did. "I do not write my books for prizes or titles, but for the sake of my Azerbaijani readers. And that's my opinion. Someone may disagree with it, some not, and I'm not forcing anyone to read my books and I am ready to hold a civilized debate with everyone, but not with those who simply organizes attacks at a bazaar level," he said.

Akram Aylisli is national writer (since 1998) and Honored Artist of Azerbaijan, holder of the highest order of Azerbaijan “Istiglal” (2002) and the order of “Shokhrat” for his outstanding merits in the literature of Azerbaijan. Recently, on the website of Russian magazine “Friendship of Nations” was published his novel titled “Stone Dreams” in which the author describes the massacres of Armenians in Baku in 1990 and in Nakhichevan in 1919. The author in his novel speaks positively about the Armenian people and their culture. The novel “Stone Dreams” also contains criticism over the former Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev and the tyranny of the system created by him.

After publication of the novel, Aylisli was exposed to severe pressures in Azerbaijan; the pro-governmental youth held rally in front of his house, his issue was discussed in the parliament of Azerbaijan, MPs suggested to burn his books and to deprive him of citizenship and deport from Azerbaijan. Many people “blamed” Aylisli in his Armenian origin, etc. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev deprived him of personal pension and the title of National Writer, and accused him of “purposefully distorting the history of Azerbaijan” and “in distorting realities about history of Azerbaijan in an inappropriate way.”

The leader of the pro-governmental party ”Modern Musavat” Hafis Hajiyev announced that he would pay about 10 Euros to the one who will cut the ear of the writer. Only after the intervention of the media, the politician was “warned” by the Interior Ministry of Azerbaijan about the illegality of such appeals.

The U.S. Department of State and the OSCE Office in Baku condemned persecution of Aylisli in Azerbaijan and called on the authorities to fulfill their obligations.