9.4 Personal Experiences - These Past Ten Years

Winter 2001 (9.4)

Viewpoints
Personal Experiences - These Past Ten Years

What has this past decade meant in everyday terms for most Azerbaijanis? In a recent informal survey that David Woodward, President of Azerbaijan International Operating Company (AIOC), suggested we do for this issue, Azerbaijanis were asked the following five questions about the collapse of the Soviet Union and Azerbaijan's independence. (1) If the Soviet Union had not collapsed, how would your life be different than it is today? (2) What has been the hardest thing to adjust to in regard to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the gaining of independence? (3) What do you miss the most about the Soviet period? The least? (4) What will be the most important thing to tell your grandchildren about these first ten years? (5) What's the most serious problem that Azerbaijan will face over the next ten years? The first nine respondents work with BP or AIOC. Excerpts of their answers follow.

Azer Ahmadov

Dima Adamovich

Elnara Mammadova

Vugar Veysalov

Elyar Aliyev

Azer Talybov

Leyla Novruzova

Hasan Hasanov

Gulnara Aghayeva

Yashar Aliyev

Surayya Abdurrahmanova

Ismayil Mammadov

Tamam Bayatly of BP and Gulnar Aydamirova of Azerbaijan International assisted in compiling these surveys.

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From Azerbaijan International (9.4) Winter 2001.
© Azerbaijan International 2002. All rights reserved.