Statements voiced at meeting of “Lazarev Club” aimed at undermining Azerbaijan-Russia relations, Baku says

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Wed 05 Dec 2018 11:07 GMT | 15:07 Local Time

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Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has commented on the first meeting of the Russian-Armenian “Lazarev Club”, which was held in Yerevan on November 1 – December 2., 2018.

“Armenian and Russian media outlets earlier released information about the first meeting of the Russian-Armenian “Lazarev Club”, which was held in Yerevan on November 1 – December 2. One of the main initiators and organizers of this club is Konstantin Zatulin, First Deputy Chairman of the Russian State Duma Committee for CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots, who is positioning himself as a new format of public diplomacy [JB emphasis],” the Azerbaijani ministry said in a message on Dec. 5.

“The invitation of representatives of the illegal regime created in the Armenian-occupied Azerbaijani territories, as well as statements of Zatulin, former chairman of the Council of Veterans of the Russian Foreign Ministry, having the rank of extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador Vladimir Kazimirov and Deputy Director of the Institute of CIS Countries headed by Zatulin, Vladimir Yevseyev, and some others voiced during the meeting of the club and containing open attacks against Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are aimed at undermining the existing high level of relations between Azerbaijan and Russia,” said the message. 

“The statements voiced by Zatulin are not consistent with his status as the first deputy chairman of the State Duma committee, contradicting the interests of development of cooperation within the CIS,” read the message. “Yevseyev's statements are fictitious and harm the very spirit of cooperation within the CIS. Finally, the meeting of “Lazarev Club” runs contrary to the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries, including Russia, to advance the negotiation process on resolving the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.”  

“The Azerbaijani side, through the embassy in the Russian Federation, expressed its concern about this fact to the Russian Foreign Ministry,” the message said. 

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