Saturday, January 12 2019 14:54

ArmInfo. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan described the statement of director of the Information and Press Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry,  Maria Zakharova, about Azerbaijani side's hindering Russian citizens  of Armenian nationality from entering the country as "contrary to the  spirit of bilateral strategic relations," Spokesperson of the  Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Leyla Abdullayeva, said this, TASS  reports. 

Abdullayeva expressed regret that the official representative of the  Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation was not the  first time to make statements contradicting the spirit of bilateral  strategic relations.  "On the background of development of  Azerbaijani-Russian relations, this statement and attempts to inflate  some particular case, taking it out of the general context, are  another manifestation of the general trend we have indicated.  A  representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry said that "the  Azerbaijani side promised that this situation would be corrected."  "We strongly refute this.  Azerbaijani-Russian relations are based on  equality, and the expression "correct the situation" contradicts the  essence of equal bilateral relations.  According to the spokeswoman,  only in 2018, 880,000 Russian citizens visited Azerbaijan, and there  were no complaints by them on the issue raised. "The overwhelming  majority of the citizens of Russia were pleased with their visit and  expressed gratitude for the hospitality. I would like to note that  among the visitors there were Russian citizens of Armenian origin. At  the same time, not only Russian citizens of Armenian origin, but also  citizens of Armenia participated in international events competitions  and cultural events held in Azerbaijan, and they had no problems,"  she said.  We are convinced that the next provocative and   anti-Azerbaijani statement by the official representative of the  Russian Foreign Ministry will not have a negative impact on relations  between Azerbaijan and Russia. Azerbaijani-Russian relations are  determined not by the foreign affairs structured, but by the  presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia, and both sides are very  interested in developing these relations and are making efforts in  this direction," she concluded.