We regret to declare about the false information spread with regards the history of the creation of the film «Open up the borders» and the distorted interpretations made in respect of the content and the estimations made during the work screening in Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.

The film “Open up the frontiers!” is based on the video material created in the course of the execution of the “Peacemaking Team” project (y.2005). The project was executed by the support of Henrich Bell Foundation. Mr. Rauf Rajabov was invited from Azerbaijan to be one of the participants of the project (Ashtarak, Armavir, Ararat, Gyumri and Vanadzor).

The following information ought to be detailed. Mr. Rauf Rajabov failed to accomplish his obligations to cover his activity and the activity of the “Peacemaking Team” project in Azerbaijan. This fact was duly informed to Rauf Rajabov and included in the report made by the Caucasus Center of Peace - Making Initiatives (project director was Georgi Vanyan) and submitted to Henrich Bell Foundation. Mr. Rauf Rajabov on the first day of his stay in Armenia, upon the request of the project director, took the microphone in his hands and conducted an interview with three citizens of Armenia, later he refused to take an active part in the creation of the video material.

After the completion of the project, the video material lasting 90 hours (which covered the filming of the discussions and about 20 interviews and subjects prepared by Georgi Vanyan and the cameraman) remained in the archive of the Caucasus Center of Peace - Making Initiatives. On this stage, the creation of a documentary film made by way of a report presentation based on the project was found to be inexpedient on account of a poor quality video material. During the year 2006 Georgi Vanyan and Luiza Poghosyan were working on the authoring film “Open up the frontiers!” After long and step by step discussions and the presentation of the script, the concept of the film was supported by the South Caucasus office of Henrich Bell Foundation and the Caucasus Center of Peace - Making Initiatives was granted a financial aid for its creation. All the episodes of the film, including the ones with the participation of Rauf Rajabov have been selected for the reflection of the concept and according to the script of the authors of the film – Georgi Vanyan and Luiza Poghosyan.

We have to detail the following information. Rauf Rajabov has nothing to do with the creation of the film. If we approach the question from another side, then the right of authorship can be disputed by about 30 people who appeared in the film.

After the completion of the work on Armenian and Russian versions (August 2007), the Caucasus Center of Peace - Making Initiatives used and will use all the possible means to show the film to the public of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. The film was shown two times in Yerevan in a small auditorium. It was shown in Stepanakert and Shushi, as well. The authors of the film were present during the two times of the screenings. The viewers’ reacted to the film in the following way: “Having watched the film we learnt a lot about ourselves and this film needs to be shown in Azerbaijan”.

The only opponent of this film considered it dangerous because according to him there would be found people in Azerbaijan who would seek “negative episodes” in the film and profiteer in extorting separate frames (episodes) from the general context of the film.

We have to detail the following information. Rauf Rajabov is not authorized to comment on the reaction of an Armenian viewer owing to the fact that he has nothing to do with the arrangement of the given screening.

On December 2007 Rauf Rajabov was invited to Yerevan by the Caucasus Center of Peace - Making Initiatives as a guest of “Step to dialogue: Azerbaijan-Armenia-Turkey” project. It was decided that he should be one of the juries of the competition of school compositions and a participant of the discussion of the report “A role of the system of general education in the process of overpassing Armenian-Azerbaijanian confrontation” and a viewer of the screening of the film “Open up the frontiers!”.

The following information needs to be detailed. About 20 people were present during the screening of the film. The film was welcomed warmly (A detailed report on the project including the coverage of the “Days of Azerbaijan” held in Mkhitar Sebastatsi Educational Complex will be placed at our site - www.southcaucasus.com – in January, 2008).

The authors of the film regret to make this announcement and are fully aware of the part of their guilt for the creation of such an absurd situation. In addition to this, we consider that our silence can lead to further speculative estimations hindering objective perception of the film “Open up the frontiers!” both in Azerbaijan, in Armenia and in Nagorno Karabakh.

We are doing and will do our best to show the film “Open up the frontiers!” to Azerbaijan people. We will be delighted if we are given an opportunity to participate in the discussion of the film in absentia by covering its results in the press and receiving feedbacks from the viewers.

Georgi Vanyan
Luiza Poghosyan
26-12-2007
Yerevan