ArmenPress
Jan 5 2005

RUSSIAN PARLIAMENT MEMBER’S STATEMENT ENRAGES AZERIS

BAKU, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS: A statement by Dmitry Rogozin, a
Russian parliament member, that Moscow must develop a mechanism that
would allow to join breakaway regions of Georgia-South Ossetia,
Abkhazia and Transdniester of Moldova to Russia has infuriated
Azerbaijani politicians.
The Baku-based daily Ekho recalls that similar announcements were
made by some Russian political figures concerning Nagorno Karabagh.
The Azeri daily quotes a Moldavian reintegration minister Vasily
Shovay as saying that it is difficult to imagine a statement that
would harm Russia more than the one made by Rogozin.
The daily also quotes a former foreign minister Tofik Zulfugarov
as saying that Rogozin’s statement is creating serious problems for
Russia regarding its international image, as it runs counter to its
officially declared foreign policy principles.