AZERBAIJAN PROTESTS AT SEPARATISTS’ INVITATION TO CONFERENCE IN MOSCOW

Azeri Press Agency
April 8 2008
Azerbaijan

Moscow, 8 April: The Azerbaijani embassy in Russia has sent a protest
note to this country’s Foreign Ministry.

A source at the embassy has told the Russian bureau of APA that
an international conference entitled "After Kosovo: The union
of unrecognized states on the path towards recognition" was held
at the Institute of CIS Countries on 28 March, led by the first
deputy chairman of Russia’s State Duma Committee for CIS Affairs
and Relations with Compatriots, Konstantin Zatulin. Representatives
of the self-proclaimed regime [in Nagornyy Karabakh] were invited
to the conference and it was attended by representatives of Russian
government bodies. The [Azerbaijani] embassy took appropriate measures
in connection with the case and sent a protest note to the Russian
Foreign Ministry on 7 April.

The document openly and firmly drew attention to the fact that a
representative of the Russian legislative body, and the first deputy
chairman of Russia’s State Duma Committee for CIS Affairs and Relations
with Compatriots, does not get rid of this kind of illegal activity and
noted that such an activity was unacceptable. It was openly stated that
the invitation of representatives from the Russian Foreign Ministry
and the Moscow government to the conference was not in the spirit of
strategic partnership relations between the two countries as reflected
in contracts and other political and legal documents signed between
Azerbaijan and Russia. A demand was made to the Russian Foreign
Ministry to give an explanation in connection with the conference
and the ministry was asked not to repeat this in the future.