Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry has described the display of a Nagorno-Karabakh map on Russia’s state-run Channel One as “a provocative and unacceptable act.”
“The distorted map of the Republic of Azerbaijan shown during the May 6 broadcast of the Russian state Channel One program ‘Time Will Tell’, as well as the use of the non-existent term ‘Nagorno-Karabakh’ on the map, constitute a serious provocation and unacceptable political manipulation,” Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada said, according to APA.
According to him, Russian state television is spreading “narratives encouraging separatism.”
“The dissemination on Russian state television of outdated, false and separatism-promoting narratives, despite statements by the Russian side that respect for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty has never been questioned, clearly contradicts the spirit of Azerbaijani-Russian relations, mutual respect, and good neighborliness,” the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry statement said.
Baku said it expects clarifications from the Russian side.
Earlier, Aliyev, who joined the European Political Community summit held in Yerevan via video link, criticized the European Parliament, saying Azerbaijan’s “territorial integrity is as valuable as that of any other country, and double standards are unacceptable.” According to Aliyev, the European Parliament is “undermining the peace process instead of supporting it.”
