Azerbaijan angry at Russian MP's statement at NKR forum

The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has reacted negatively to the words of Konstantin Zatulin, a Russian State Duma MP, that "conscience and justice" in the Karabakh conflict are on the Armenian side. The Union of Azerbaijanis in Russia has also condemned Zatulin's statement.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on October 11, Stepanakert hosted a forum of friends of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) "Cooperation for Justice and Peace". Mr Zatulin's participation therein was "another provocation against Azerbaijan," the "Salamnews.org" reports with reference to Leyla Abdullaeva, the head of the press service of the Azerbaijani MFA.

Because of his repeated visits to the territories that Azerbaijan treats as its occupied ones, Konstantin Zatulin is on the "black list", the "Media.az" reports.

His statements against Azerbaijan are fundamentally contrary to Russia's official position on this issue, Ms Abdullaeva has added.

Ignoring the interests of one of ethnic groups in Russia poses a threat of interethnic conflicts in the country, the Union of Azerbaijanis of Russia has stated.

Dmitry Saveliev, a State Duma MP and the head of the Russia-Azerbaijan Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group, has expressed his bewilderment at Zatulin's words.

"The official position of Russia is defined very clearly: the Azerbaijani-Armenian territorial conflict should be resolved strictly within the framework of the international law ... There are two sides to the conflict – Azerbaijan and Armenia; and there is Nagorno-Karabakh (the NKR) – an occupied territory of Azerbaijan," the "Turan" News Agency quoted Mr Saveliev as saying.