RUSSIAN OFFICIAL PLAYS DOWN MPS' KARABAKH TRIP
news.az
June 1 2010
Azerbaijan
Svetlana Orlova A Russian parliamentary official has stressed that
the visit by Russian MPs to monitor elections in Karabakh was private,
not official.
The deputy speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament, Valeh Alasgarov,
described the decision of Russian deputies to attend elections in the
unrecognized republic of Nagorno-Karabakh as a sin, while the deputy
speaker of Russia's Federation Council, Svetlana Orlova, said that
this was a personal initiative by members of the Duma rather than an
official delegation.
Elections to the national assembly of Nagorno-Karabakh were held on
23 May. The elections were observed by more than 110 international
observers, who described them as 'free, independent and transparent'.
The Central Election Commission of Azerbaijan said the elections
were 'illegitimate', while the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry on 26
May declared five Duma deputies personae non grata for their role
as election monitors. The black list includes Konstantin Zatulin,
Igor Chernyshenko, Kirill Cherkasov, Tatyana Volozhinskaya and Maxim
Mishchenko. The list also includes citizens of France, Germany,
Argentina, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and other countries.
'It is outrageous, of course, this is unacceptable, but it's a sin
on the souls of those who do not think about Azerbaijan, they do
not think, I am quite sure, even about the interests of Russia,'
Alasgarov told RIA Novosti yesterday.
He said that 'the actions of individuals, whoever they may be,
citizens of Russia or not, cannot have an adverse affect on relations
between the Azerbaijan Republic and the Russian Federation or between
our parliaments.'
'I shall confine myself to this, although I do have something to say,'
the Azerbaijani politician said.
In turn, the vice-speaker of the Federation Council said that the
deputies had gone at their personal initiative, and Russia had not
sent an official delegation.
'Russia did not send an official delegation and the visit by some
deputies is a matter for their conscience,' Orlova said.
From: A. Papazian
news.az
June 1 2010
Azerbaijan
Svetlana Orlova A Russian parliamentary official has stressed that
the visit by Russian MPs to monitor elections in Karabakh was private,
not official.
The deputy speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament, Valeh Alasgarov,
described the decision of Russian deputies to attend elections in the
unrecognized republic of Nagorno-Karabakh as a sin, while the deputy
speaker of Russia's Federation Council, Svetlana Orlova, said that
this was a personal initiative by members of the Duma rather than an
official delegation.
Elections to the national assembly of Nagorno-Karabakh were held on
23 May. The elections were observed by more than 110 international
observers, who described them as 'free, independent and transparent'.
The Central Election Commission of Azerbaijan said the elections
were 'illegitimate', while the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry on 26
May declared five Duma deputies personae non grata for their role
as election monitors. The black list includes Konstantin Zatulin,
Igor Chernyshenko, Kirill Cherkasov, Tatyana Volozhinskaya and Maxim
Mishchenko. The list also includes citizens of France, Germany,
Argentina, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and other countries.
'It is outrageous, of course, this is unacceptable, but it's a sin
on the souls of those who do not think about Azerbaijan, they do
not think, I am quite sure, even about the interests of Russia,'
Alasgarov told RIA Novosti yesterday.
He said that 'the actions of individuals, whoever they may be,
citizens of Russia or not, cannot have an adverse affect on relations
between the Azerbaijan Republic and the Russian Federation or between
our parliaments.'
'I shall confine myself to this, although I do have something to say,'
the Azerbaijani politician said.
In turn, the vice-speaker of the Federation Council said that the
deputies had gone at their personal initiative, and Russia had not
sent an official delegation.
'Russia did not send an official delegation and the visit by some
deputies is a matter for their conscience,' Orlova said.
From: A. Papazian