An Azerbaijani opposition leader announced on Thursday an initiative to call an international conference in Baku on September 12 to discuss the problems faced by the large community of ethnic Iranians in Azerbaijan. \"We plan to hold this event, which may take the form of a forum, with the participation of leaders of political parties and nongovernmental organizations. Representatives of Azeri communities abroad will also be invited,\" Etibar Mamedov, leader of the opposition National Independence Party, told a news conference in Baku. Mamedov said nongovernmental organizations defending the rights of Iranian Azeris had until now not been united and needed coordination. He described the mass protests by Iranian Azeris in May 2006 in response to government persecutions of ethnic Azeris as a \"national liberation movement.\" \"The Iranian authorities have for the time being been able to prevent the emergence of an Azeri national liberation movement. But I believe that this movement, despite the persecution and insults that Azeris in Iran are experiencing, is impossible to suppress,\" he said. (Interfax)