Russian Charge d’Affaires in Baku was summoned to the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan over lawmaker Vitaly Milonov’s remarks towards the republic, the Foreign Ministry announced Tuesday, according to TASS news agency. 

"During the meeting, the Charge d’Affaires was faced with the question regarding State Duma deputy from the United Russia faction Vitaly Milonov’s use of unacceptable expressions towards the Azerbaijani people and state in an interview to Armenian media. Such behavior of a State Duma member was decisively condemned," the announcement says.

According to the Foreign Ministry, "Milonov’s another provocative step contradict the high level of relations between the two states."

The Ministry also noted that the lawmaker’s opinion does not reflect the official Moscow’s position, adding that "such steps intend to harm the relations between the two countries and to prevent the implementation of the achievement agreements [on Nagorno-Karabakh]." 

In October last year, the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan declared Milonov a persona non grata over an unauthorized visit to Nagorno-Karabakh.