The issue on suspending the broadcast of Russian TV channels on the territory of Azerbaijan should be solved at the level of the two Governments, said Petr Burdykin, the Counsellor-Envoy of the Russian Embassy to Azerbaijan, exclusively to Trend, commenting the statement about the closure of the Russian TV channels in Azerbaijan starting from the next year, which was made by Nushiravan Maharramli, the Chairman of the National TV and Radio Council.
Mr. Maharramli said that the broadcast of the two Turkish TV channels Kanal D and STV and two Russian channels Perviy and RTR-Planeta will be suspended on the territory of Azerbaijan starting from January 3, 2007.
Commenting this statement, the Russian diplomat said that Azerbaijan and Russia had an intergovernmental agreement on ensuring the broadcast of the Russian TV Channels on the territory of Azerbaijan. It was signed in 1995, and the broadcast of the Channels is being carried due to this document. If one of the parties want to withdraw from the agreement, then it should inform the other party half a year in advance. When the term expires, the issue should be solved at the level of the Foreign Ministers of the two countries. Azerbaijan should appeal to Russia with a corresponding proposal, said Mr. Burdykin.
Touching upon the statement of the Chairman of the National TV and Radio Council concerning the possibility of the broadcast of one of Azerbaijan TV Channels on the territory of Russia in exchange to the broadcasting of the Russian ones on the Azerbaijani territory, the Russian diplomat said that such an issue had not been in the known intergovernmental agreement, however, if the Azerbaijan party officially forward such a proposal, it certainly could be considered.