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Azerbaijan’s president says Western organizations plotted coups in his county

Ilham Aliyev noted that in 2005, there was an attempt to organize an "orange revolution" in Azerbaijan under the auspices of the US Department of State

BAKU, April 10. /TASS/. A number of Western organizations, including the US– based National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), plotted a coup d'·tat in Azerbaijan in previous years, President Ilham Aliyev stated during a meeting with participants of the international forum "On the Way to a New World Order," held in Baku the day before. The full text of the head of state’s responses to international experts’ questions was uploaded to his website on Thursday.

"Such notorious institutions as the National Democratic Institute were indeed plotting a coup d'·tat here. All of this has been revealed. We traced more than $1 million that had been withdrawn from a bank account, and some of that money was subsequently found in rented apartments of opposition activists, along with Molotov cocktails and instructions to attack government buildings and police officers," Aliyev said.

He also noted that in 2005, there was an attempt to organize an "orange revolution" in Azerbaijan under the auspices of the US Department of State.

Aliyev emphasized that such activities were easier in the past because the authorities did not fully control the financial flows sent by the West to local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the opposition that they managed. "Now it is more complicated for them. First, we have established full control over the financial system. Secondly, all so-called grants given to these local NGOs, which are essentially branches of the opposition, are now subject to registration. It has become increasingly difficult for them to transfer money illegally into the country," Aliyev stated.

At the same time, he acknowledged that some Western institutions "demonstrate great ingenuity" and find new ways to transfer money through various agents.

"I hope that this will come to an end, as it is completely futile. It’s pointless, and everyone knows who is involved. Nevertheless, there is no guarantee that one day they won’t decide to install a puppet in the presidential chair to rule Azerbaijan as they see fit," Aliyev concluded.

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