Persons trying to get “J-1” visas issued to students are experiencing special difficulties. On September 1 of this year the number of the Azerbaijani students in the American Universities was less than ever. This is natural taking into account the fact that some of the executors of the terrorist acts in New York and Washington have entered the territory of the USA with “J-1” visas.
According to the “Echo” newspaper issued in Baku, after the September 11, the number of the US entry visas issued to Azerbaijani citizens really reduced. Such a tendency is being noted also in Canada. Head of the Information Program of the Resource Migration Centre of Azerbaijan, Azer Allahveranov also confirmed this speaking about the biased attitude of the Americans towards the Azerbaijani citizens. According to him, in Baku they didn’t think that strengthening of the conditions for getting visas would affect Azerbaijan. “The US migration services treat with suspect the international students from the states included in the “black list”. That is why the citizens are having serious difficulties. However, it shouldn’t involve Azerbaijan, because the county’s authorities have expressed their position on the terrorist acts of September 11 as well as on the anti-terror campaign,” Allahveranov says.
Meantime, it is difficult to understand his amazement. It is well known that in the beginning of December last year Washington published the list of countries where branches of the “Al Qaida” terrorist network were operating. The United States have a special attitude towards the citizens of countries included in the list. The US migration services, being instructed by the authorities, refused to issue entry visas to sportsmen which were not allowed to participate in the world championship of the free-style and Greek-Roman wrestling taking place in New York. The Canadian authorities are also careful with the Azerbaijani citizens. According to the “Globe and Mail” newspaper issued in Ottawa, Azerbaijan is included in the list of “unreliable countries” that can be related to preparation of terrorists. The list was prepared by the experts of the Ministry for Migration Issues of Canada. The appropriate services were advised to pay a special attention, while issuing entry visas, to the citizens of countries included in the list, as well as to those who have ever visited those countries.
So, it is evident that despite the eagerness of the official Baku to demonstrate to the world its support to the anti-terror campaign led by the Americans, in America they understand that Azerbaijan still represents a danger of terrorism.
