Russian official calls anti-Azerbaijan statements made by MP Zatulin "unacceptable"

The expressed statements made by Russian parliamentarian Konstantin Zatulin on the situation on the Lachin road in Azerbaijan, in a region where the Russian peacekeeping contingent (RPC) is temporarily stationed, do not, without a doubt, serve the interests of Russia and the movement towards peace.

According to Report, this was the evaluation given by Dmitriy Savelyev, the Deputy Coordinator of a parliamentary group of the Russian Duma for ties with Azerbaijan’s parliament and a Member of the Committee for Security and the Fight against Corruption.

“I believe, that such an incorrect interference in a difficult political process is unacceptable. I am sure, that all interested parties understand that this is merely Zatulin’s personal view and does not in any way reflect the official position of our country”, Savelyev urged.

The MP further talked about the cooperation between the RPC with the Azerbaijani authorities.

“Firstly I would like to recall, that Russia officially recognizes the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and the perception of the situation has to happen considering this fact. Furthermore, despite the existence of an agreement, the withdrawal of illegal armed forces from Karabakh did still not occur, which in itself is cause for provoking tension. When it comes to fakes spread regarding our peacekeepers, they obviously do not reflect the realities. Interaction between the peacekeepers and the Azerbaijani leaders occurs on a constructive basis and on a daily basis. The peacekeepers control the situation, fulfilling all signed agreements. The public outrage is completely justified, seeing as the natural resource exploitation from the 'Gizilbulag' goldmine and 'Demirli' copper-molybdenum deposit is being carried out through barbarian means without respecting any technological requirements, which could not have not led to a just reaction by environmental specialists and the public”, the Russian official stated.

He further called the expression of statements that lead to the worsening, not an improvement, of tensions unacceptable. Even more unacceptable he calls the direct accusation of a government, which has signed a declaration of allied partnership with Russia at a difficult period of time.

Caliber.Az recalls, that Zatulin is a Member of the Russian parliament who enjoys very close ties to the Armenian elite and diaspora in Russia. He has repeatedly voiced statements of anti-Azerbaijani nature and at times contradicted the official position of the government he serves. As reported earlier, he was banned from entering Armenia in October 2022 after making statements criticizing the government and Prime Minister Pashinyan himself, as was the Head of the Russian “RT” network, ethnic Armenian and Pashinyan-criticiser Margarita Simonyan. Both individuals are known to be actively supporting Armenian forces that are active in Russia and not Armenian political powers inside Armenia.