Details added (first version posted on 15:42)
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 12
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
People who have no idea about Azerbaijan could give a recommendation not to visit the country, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing Jan. 12.
She was commenting on the inclusion of Azerbaijan by the US Department of State to the list of countries with increased security threat.
She noted that Azerbaijan has held many international events, both in sports and culture.
“As a person who repeatedly and with great pleasure visits Azerbaijan, I can say it is nonsense to write that tourists are recommended not to visit that country,” Zakharova said. “Only those who have no idea about Azerbaijan's culture or political realities could write this.”
Earlier, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry commented on inclusion of the country to the US State Department list of countries where there is threat of terrorism.
“It is very surprising that the US included Azerbaijan in this category, whereas in recent years, the tourist inflow has increased by 24 percent, the number of foreign citizens arriving in Azerbaijan has exceeded 2.7 million people, the country held the First European Games, the 4th Islamic Solidarity Games, the Formula 1, events on intercultural and interfaith dialogue and other high-level prestigious political, economic, sporting and cultural events,” said the ministry in its message.