AZAL plane crash: Baku accuses Moscow of misleading the public

Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada, has issued a commentary on the September 4 statement by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning insurance payments related to the “Azerbaijan Airlines” (AZAL) aircraft catastrophe and on the Russian MFA spokesperson’s remarks regarding Azerbaijan-Russia relations.

Hajizada described the Russian statement as “not only surprising but also misleading to the public.” He emphasised that “the insurance payments to AZAL and its passengers by an insurance company registered in Russia and the demand of our country for compensation from the Government of Russia in connection with the downing of the aircraft are entirely different matters.”

He explained that “the mentioned insurance payments process by the company has already been carried out over the past six months. In general, these payments were made strictly within the framework of AZAL’s insurance contract, as part of the obligations arising from the company’s insurance of the aircraft and passengers.”

Regarding the Russian insurer, Hajizada noted: “Russian insurance company made these payments, it is worth noting that aircraft insurance is typically carried out through relevant international insurance companies. Considering that no international insurance company operates within the territory of Russia, the insurance of the AZAL aircraft was carried out through a Russian company. Therefore, attempts to equate insurance payments with the compensation demanded by Azerbaijan from the Russian Government are inappropriate.”

Hajizada also responded to comments by the Russian MFA spokesperson concerning Azerbaijan-Russia relations: “At the same time, the statement by the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation that the arrest of 13 Russian citizens in Azerbaijan in July of this year was the reason for the deterioration of Azerbaijan-Russia relations, and presenting their release as a condition for the improvement of relations, is incorrect. It is known that the deterioration of Azerbaijan-Russia relations was caused exactly by the crash of the AZAL aircraft as a result of the shootdown and by the subsequent behavior of Russian officials.”

He further highlighted ongoing concerns, stating: “Furthermore, the persecution of Azerbaijanis in Russia based on ethnicity, the killing of Azerbaijanis as a result of beating in the city of Yekaterinburg, has created additional tensions in our relations. Moreover, the activities of various Russian state agencies against Azerbaijan are among the factors negatively affecting relations.”

By Vugar Khalilov