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Russian MFA talks State Duma rep's illegal visit to Nagorno-Karabakh

Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict Materials 17 October 2019 18:24 (UTC +04:00)
The Russian Foreign Ministry’s position on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the ways to resolve it is well known and it remains unchanged, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said at the briefing.
Russian MFA talks State Duma rep's illegal visit to Nagorno-Karabakh

Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 17

By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:

The Russian Foreign Ministry’s position on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the ways to resolve it is well known and it remains unchanged, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said at the briefing, Trend reports on Oct. 17.

Zakharova was commenting on the recent illegal visit of First Deputy Chairman of the Russian State Duma’s Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots Konstantin Zatulin to Nagorno-Karabakh region.

The spokeswoman stressed that a valid, relevant warning has been posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website.

"If the citizens visit the territory of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region and seven adjacent administrative regions without special permission of the Azerbaijani authorities, the Azerbaijani side will ban further visits of these citizens to Azerbaijan," Zakharova added.

"This is relevant warning,” the spokeswoman said. “This applies to everyone and covers the position of the Azerbaijani authorities on this issue.”

“As for the politicians, in particular, the Russian politicians, representatives of the legislative branch or people representing the civil society who make relevant statements on this topic, we proceed from the fact that they express their personal point of view,” Zakharova said. “This can be an expert point of view or a political statement. One way or another, the official point of view on this issue is expressed by the relevant official structures.

Previously, an official note was sent to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

In this note, the Azerbaijani side expressed concern regarding the participation of Konstantin Zatulin in the event on October 11 this year, which was organized by a self-proclaimed regime created in the occupied Azerbaijani territories.

The Azerbaijani embassy also asked the Russian side to express its attitude regarding the statements of Zatulin who openly supports separatism, in connection with his words of a provocative nature against Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and the speech damaging the existing high-level cooperation between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation.

Azerbaijan also asked to clarify the status of the Russian MP during his visit to the occupied Azerbaijani territories and who financed this visit.

Moreover, the importance of assessing Zatulin’s periodic statements regarding the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which contradict Russia’s political position, his open distortion of historical facts and attempts to justify Armenia’s occupation policy, was also expressed.

At the same time, while ​​emphasizing the fact that Zatulin, as the MP, must be responsible for his words and deeds, the Azerbaijani embassy asked the Russian Foreign Ministry to take the necessary measures.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

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