The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has submitted a note to the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan concerning the latest attacks upon Norwegian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Steinar Gil. Ambassador himself said about it at his meeting with journalists. (17-JULY-2004)
Note
The Norwegian Foreign Ministry´s note reads that Ambassador Gil fulfills his obligations in line with instructions of the Norwegian authorities and he had good contact with the authorities and nation of Azerbaijan, the note reads. The note was a response to allegations from Azerbaijan´s state-sanctioned Muslim authorities that on July 4 the ambassador, in a drunken state, had entered a mosque wearing his shoes and abused people outside.
The allegations are “Much ado, but nothing”
Gil categorically rejected all charges brought against him by the Caucasian Moslems Department for alleged visitation of Cuma mosque in state of alcoholic intoxication.
“Never in my life can I permit myself doing that. I am perfectly awareabout rules of visitation of churches and mosques”, the Ambassador said. He also said that he did not enter the mosque, but stayed outside.
The Ambassador also rejected that he was video recording the development, and this could be confirmed by OSCE Baku officer Robin Siword. Mr. Siword said he was near Gil all the time and Norwegian Ambassador did not have video camera. There was nothing insulting or illegal in Ambassador´s actions, said Siword.
Accusations
The allegations against the Norwegian ambassador relate to the Juma mosque in Azerbaijan´s capital, Baku, where the religious authorities have recently ousted a dissident cleric. Gil has been one of several Western diplomats who have expressed concern about events at the mosque, saying that the authorities are violating worshippers´ religious freedoms there. On the night of July 4, he was outside the mosque with journalists and another western diplomat when police walked in during a prayer ritual and began ejecting worshippers.
