Interfax - Russia & CIS Diplomatic Panorama
May 18, 2017 Thursday 6:33 PM MSK


Russia does not need dubious advice on how to build inter-ethnic
relations - Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW. May 18

The comments made by Azerbajani diplomats over the Russian Supreme
Court decision to close the All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress were
inappropriate, Moscow does not need the advice of the Azeri
representatives on how to build inter-ethnic relations within the
country, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

"We took note of the speech by a representative from the Azerbaijani
Foreign Ministry regarding Russia's domestic policy. Things were said
about the balance of inter-ethnic relations, the concept of reform,
prospects of an intercultural dialogue in our country. We consider
such statements inappropriate," Zakharova said at a briefing in Moscow
on Thursday.

"Assessing a Russian court decision on a Russian civic organization as
an unfriendly step against Azerbaijan looks, in principle, somehow
odd," Zakharova said.

"And, of course, it is regretful that the Foreign Ministry of
Azerbaijan is again using media theories and then goes public with
them about some Armenian trail. We don't need some dubious advice on
how we should build inter-ethnic relations in our own country,"
Zakharova said.

"Russia is a multiethnic, democratic state, the rights of everyone are
protected and ensured regardless of their ethnicity," she said.

"We have all the conditions created for self-organization and proper
operation of cultural, ethnic, civic organizations. In particular, the
interests of Russian citizens of Azeri ethnicity are represented by
over 260 nonprofit organizations. At the federal level, we have
successfully operating the Azerbaijani youth organization of Russia,
the Union of Azerbaijani organizations of Russia, the Federal
national-cultural autonomy of Azerbaijanis of Russia, the World
Azerbaijani Cultural Foundation," Zakharova said.

"Russia cherishes its strategic partnership with Azerbaijan, the
course towards reinforcing it in every measure was determined by the
two countries' leaders. We are convinced that the remarks that I
quoted, which perhaps were not quite thought through, will not inflict
damage on the Russian-Azerbaijani relationship," the Foreign Ministry
spokesperson said.