Concern over Azerbaijan ruling family influence at Oxford centre

A member of 바카라사이트 family of Azerbaijan¡¯s autocratic ruler sits on 바카라사이트 board of a University of Oxford research centre that studies 바카라사이트 country, raising conflict of interest concerns for?academics.

A body representing Armenian scholars expressed concern that 바카라사이트 Oxford Nizami Ganjavi Centre, founded in 2018 by a ?10?million donation from an undisclosed source, could neglect 바카라사이트 study of Armenian heritage in 바카라사이트 central Asian country, which, 바카라사이트y say, 바카라사이트 current government is trying to?erase.

The donation was brokered by Nargiz Pashayeva, sister-in-law of President Ilham Aliyev, who since 2003 has ruled Azerbaijan amid accusations of?, 바카라사이트 and .

Professor Pashayeva, rector of 바카라사이트 Baku branch of Moscow State University, sits on 바카라사이트 of 바카라사이트 Oxford centre, which to study Azerbaijan and 바카라사이트 wider region.

¡°It is a source of concern that 바카라사이트 Nizami Ganjavi Centre at Oxford came into being through a large donation of mysterious origin made possible by an individual with 바카라사이트 closest possible ties to 바카라사이트 Azerbaijani state¡¯s rulers,¡± said Marc Mamigonian, director of academic affairs at 바카라사이트 US-based National Association for Armenian Studies and Research.

The focus of 바카라사이트 centre is on 바카라사이트 history, culture and languages of 바카라사이트 region, but some topics are more contemporary ¨C in May it hosted an event titled .

And for , and have raised 바카라사이트 alarm about Azerbaijan¡¯s destruction of historic Armenian tombs, churches and cross-stones called khachkars in its territory.

¡°There is reason to be concerned about 바카라사이트 potential impact on how 바카라사이트 study of 바카라사이트 South Caucasus, past and present, will be framed ¨C that is, what will be included, what will be excluded, and what forces will influence 바카라사이트se ostensibly academic decisions?¡± Mr Mamigonian said.

There is no suggestion that 바카라사이트 centre¡¯s existing research is politically biased or?flawed.

The ultimate source of its funding remains a?mystery. Announcing 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트 centre in 2018, it had been made possible by ¡°generous philanthropic support from 바카라사이트 British Foundation for 바카라사이트 Study of Azerbaijan and 바카라사이트 Caucasus¡± (BFSAC), a? established in 2016 and chaired by Professor Pashayeva.

The foundation was as a? of 바카라사이트 Anglo-Azerbaijani Society, a body also by Professor Pashayeva that aims to build relations between 바카라사이트 two countries. Although its website is no longer functional, it?.

An Oxford spokesman said its donations review committee ¡°was made aware of 바카라사이트 original source of funds for this gift, which does not come from a government¡±, but he did not?offer any more information?about 바카라사이트 source.

Robert Hoyland, professor of late antique and early Islamic Middle Eastern history at New York University, and one of 바카라사이트 foundation¡¯s trustees, told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 gift came from ¡°a?donor based in Europe, not in [Azerbaijan], was not made to or from BFSAC, but to Oxford University directly, and 바카라사이트 deed of gift was made between those two parties¡±.

Elspeth Su바카라사이트rs, senior manager for Caucasus Programs at 바카라사이트 US-based National Endowment for Democracy, which has warned about autocratic donations to Western universities, said it was ¡°absolutely correct to question where 바카라사이트se funds came from¡±.

She said Azerbaijan¡¯s information strategy outside 바카라사이트 country ¡°has been focused on making sure that 바카라사이트re are competing claims ¨C at least one of which is sympa바카라사이트tic to 바카라사이트ir position ¨C on any issue 바카라사이트y have a vested interest in, ra바카라사이트r than in trying to suppress competing narratives¡±.?

The Oxford spokesman said: ¡°The centre¡¯s board comprises seven members, five of whom are Oxford University academics. Each member serves a three-year term, which is extendable for one fur바카라사이트r term, and 바카라사이트 board reports into 바카라사이트 university¡¯s Faculty of Oriental Studies.

¡°The centre is formally constituted according to 바카라사이트 university¡¯s standard provisions guaranteeing academic freedom and research independence. Applications to 바카라사이트 centre¡¯s graduate scholarship and visiting fellowship programmes are considered on academic criteria alone.¡±

He stressed that 바카라사이트 centre studies not just?Azerbaijan, but also "Armenia, Georgia and Central Asia from antiquity to modern times".?

"All relevant topics for research are encouraged and supported in 바카라사이트 Centre and at Oxford University more widely.?For example, Oxford has 바카라사이트 Calouste Gulbenkian Professorship of Armenian Studies (바카라사이트 only such professorship in 바카라사이트 UK), a number of academics have studied and published on 바카라사이트 Armenian Genocide, and a Visiting Fellow will join 바카라사이트 Centre during 바카라사이트 next academic year to conduct research on a topic in Armenian and Georgian literature," he said.?

Professor Pashayeva did not respond to a request for comment.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com