03 April 2016•Update: 19 April 2016
By Esra Kaymak Avci
WASHINGTON
No one would expect an Azerbaijani woman reporter to become the highlight of a Turkish-funded mosque's inauguration ceremony on a rainy Saturday in the U.S.
But she got the spotlight not so much for the question she asked, but for shedding tears when asking Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about his reaction to the 12 Azerbaijani soldiers just martyred in occupied Karabakh.
Ganire Atasova, 36, from Azerbaijani ANS television was one of the dozens of journalists who tried to get close to the president as he neared the stage to deliver opening remarks for the Diyanet Center of America – a new Turkish social complex, including a mosque.
It was only minutes after she had heard the news that her nation had reclaimed land occupied by Armenia during clashes Friday and Saturday which martyred a dozen Azerbaijani soldiers, and led her to push through the crowd and reach Erdogan despite his security detail.
"When I heard the news and the moment I asked the president about the martyred soldiers, I was moved to tears," Atasova told Anadolu Agency in an exclusive interview.
"As a reporter I have to hide my feelings but bear in mind that I'm a mother, a woman, and I have two children, two sons. The soldiers who were martyred were my sons as well and I felt that pain."
Saying she felt the pain of the martyred soldiers' mothers and sisters when she heard the news, Atasova stressed that she considers all sons and daughters of Azerbaijan as her own.
The patriotic reporter, who has not been home in five months, added it was even worse for her not to be with her own people on the day of such a huge loss.
Atasova said Azerbaijani media always reports emotionally whenever soldiers are martyred, including Turkey's.
"Martyred soldiers are our lives, our blood, our family, and one of us. One's nation is above all and one should give up one’s life for the nation if necessary," she added.
Thanking Erdogan for answering her question carefully and sensitively, Atasova stated that he thereby showed the world that he understands the pain of Azerbaijani women and mothers who have lost their sons.
"The Azerbaijani people love Erdogan because Turkey stands by Azerbaijan with every step it takes."
Minutes after Atasova asked her tearful question, images of her went viral in the media. She grew even more popular when Erdogan took the stage and mentioned her in his speech.
"A little while ago, an Azerbaijani TV [reporter] asked me [about the martyred soldiers], and I saw tears in her eyes," he said, referring to Atasova.
"Will it be possible for us to see tears in the eyes of the media in our country as well?"
Though over 350 Turkish soldiers have been martyred since last year, some Turkish media have been criticized for not taking a clear-cut position against terrorist organizations such as PKK.
It was Armenian attacks which led to two days of fighting over the occupied Karabakh region. Pro-Armenian militia have occupied Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region since 1993, similar to how pro-Russian militia have illegally occupied parts of Ukraine since 2014.
Three UN Security Council Resolutions (853, 874 and 884) and UN General Assembly Resolutions 19/13 and 57/298 refer to Karabakh as being part of Azerbaijan. However, none of them are legally binding.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) refers to the territory (Resolution 1416) as being occupied by Armenian forces.
