3 journal of azerbaijani studies in search of 'khazar

2. In the Bottom of the Well
Having returned to Baku I had a little rest and then went back to work. At the time I was working at the Baku branch of the Voznesensky Institute of Finance and Economics of Leningrad.¹ This branch was established on the foundations of the Azerbaijan Institute of National Economy that lost its independent status because of serious flaws in its administration. Upon the decision of the Academic Council in Leningrad I had been elected the chairman of the department of mathematics of the branch. I had already been working there for two years.

Rahib Guliyev, the newly appointed director of the branch was trying to bring about sweeping reforms by replacing the old staff. However the situation was not so simple and in order to make real changes it was essential to make gradual, well thought through steps. Since his reforms were very closely associated with job losses they were not very popular. He faced strong resistance and the result was

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Hamlet ISAXANLI

formation of power cliques. Guliyev wanted too much to soon, and his intolerance and the influence of the ongoing power struggle in the Government (this institute was always strongly associated with the governments) made him too vulnerable and he was forced to leave his position.

The newly appointed director, Fuad Alaskarov, was not a reformist, but rather a conformist. He brought back all those released by the previous director, tried to regain independence from Leningrad in order to lead a more calm and comfortable existence.

It seems that my independence and profile and the fact that I was staying out of all intrigues began to annoy Alaskarov. Although in our personal conversations he remained very respectful, various rumors starting spreading through the institute. One incident in particular served as a turning point from polite tension to badly hidden hostility. Only few days after I returned home from Scotland, voting for candidates into the Azerbaijani National Assembly (Parliament) was held at the Institute. The deans of the faculties and chairmen of the various departments had nominated Alaskarov for election and were making speeches in his honor one after another. Then unexpectedly, a group of faculty members and students proposed my nomination. I was told that those who supported my candidacy were severely attacked and one of them was even beaten by Alaskarov's supporters. I went into the meeting hastily and thanked my supporters for giving me their support and confidence. At the same time I reminded them that I had no desire to be engaged in politics and I simply had too little time and withdrew my candidacy. After this incident the atmosphere around me became increasingly tense. Soon after I left for my summer holidays.