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A few days ago Azerbaijani websites excitedly reported good news: On March 28 House of Representatives of the state of Hawaii adopted a resolution, which “supports the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and international recognition of Karabakh as a territory of Azerbaijani Republic”. However, there was no reference to the website of legislature of Hawaii that would prove “the adoption of the resolution by the Parliament”. There was no reference and could not be any in those reports of Azerbaijani media, it is stated in the article by Marine Grigoryan published in the newspaper Golos Armenii.

It is noted that the news was released with reference to the Press Service of Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles, while the resolution, as it is reported, was solemnly presented to Consul General of Azerbaijan Nasimi Aghayev.

According to the article, since early 2014 the “caviar diplomacy” of Baku has crushed in already 4 states of U.S.: On February and March one after other anti-Armenian resolutions were rejected by the House of Representatives of the state of Hawaii, South Dakota, Wyoming and Tennessee.

“Four such sensitive blows with intervals of one or two weeks, probably, were not only very painful for Azerbaijan but as well put the careers of Azerbaijani ambassador to U.S. Elin Suleymanov and Consul General of Los Angeles Nasimi Aghayev at risk. Perhaps, those fears spurred the diplomats to resort to primitive lies and deceit towards their unsuspecting fellows by presenting “Sensation” of the adoption of the resolution in Hawaii. They strengthened it with the photos of triumphant Consul and by the useless scrap of paper with the signatures of several legislatures,” the article reads.

Meanwhile, as the author states, “to reveal the deception of the liars- diplomats, one can simply go to the website of the legislature of Hawaii, where everything is presented very clearly and is even available for the consumers of Azerbaijani lies.” For example, if you follow this link (http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/gethearing.aspx?hearingdate=3/28/2014), you can clearly see that in the March 28 agenda of the House of Representatives there was not even a hint about the hearing of Azerbaijani resolution.

“However, on the agenda of 12 February there is a resolution submitted by the chairman of Veterans Committee on Foreign Affairs, Culture and Education Marco Takaya and the representative of the House Rida Cabanilla. As it was reported by the newspaper Asbarez, these two figures visited Baku in May of 2013 and immediately after that issued two resolutions: HR13 - on “recognition of the 22th anniversary of the tragedy in Khojalu” and HR9, calling on the U.S. administration to “make an extra effort for political settlement of the Armenian- Azerbaijani Nagorno Karabakh conflict.” Needless to say that both documents are not only full of anti-Armenian rhetoric but also grossly distort the realities of the conflict,” Golos Armenii reports.

On February 12 the resolutions were put on agenda of hearings and both of them were rejected. One can easily find out about that by following the links (http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HR&billnumber=13&year=2014
and http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HR&billnumber=9&year=2014
There is no other mention of Azerbaijan in the website of Legislature of the state of Hawaii, including allegedly adopted March 28 resolution.

The photo of the document with the signatures of legislatures released in the websites is nothing more than a certificate signed by several members of the House of Representatives.
According to the regulations of U.S. legislatures, this document is not included in the agenda for a vote and is not even included in the record of the hearing as it is merely a personal initiative of individual legislatures.

“This kind of “documents” can be adopted by dozens in a year, by bribing 3-4 Representatives of the House in each state, and then solemnly demonstrating the fruits of the “effective” work done by the embassy and the Consulate General. Most likely, the adoption of such certificates is all the “caviar diplomacy” of Azerbaijan is capable of nowadays in U.S, as it is capitulated by the joint efforts of the Armenian lobby organizations, the embassy of RA and the representation of NKR in U.S. And in order to justify the embezzlement of millions of petrodollars Suleymanov and Aghayev are forced to resort to blatant lies, scattering smiles to the cameras hoping that the smug face of the Consul General is able to replace the reference to a reliable source,” the author notes.

However, as the newspaper emphasizes, Baku’s such kind of activities in the legislatures of American states have also positive aspect for Armenia.

“Initiation of resolutions by the bribed lawmakers gives an opportunity to Armenian lobbyists and members of Armenian community to oppose those steps in each state of U.S. The author of these lines personally witnessed how in the state of Tennessee dozens of Armenians, former refugees from Baku, previously not distinguished by active engagement in political life of the state, together with the representatives of ANCA (American Committee "Hay Dat" – Ed.) struggled against the adoption of anti-Armenian resolution and forced its author to withdraw the document from the agenda before the voting process. Not less and perhaps more important is the fact that the discussion of the draft resolutions gives Armenian side a chance to present the true facts and realities about the events of the past as well as current events. To see this, it is enough to get acquainted with the protocol of hearings around the rejected resolution on “Khojalu events” in the same state of Hawaii,” the article reads.

Meanwhile, according to the article, the embassy of Azerbaijan has already swung New Jersey, where positions of Armenian lobbyists are traditionally very strong. Another anti-Armenian resolution has been presented in the House of Representatives of the State (as well as Missouri). It can be assumed that the Azerbaijanis want to make use of Armenian organization’s concentration on Kessab events, however even in that case the representatives of “caviar diplomacy”, according to the observers, have little chance to succeed.

“Nevertheless, now the subordinates of Mammedyarov always have the option of certificate with signatures of corrupt lawmakers as a spare option, which in extreme cases can be presented as a resolution, especially if the forced smile of poor consul is added to it,” the author concludes.