FM condemns invitation of unrecognized regime's teams to KVN Festival in Russia
By Rashid Shirinov
Invitation of teams representing the illegal regime established in the territories of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenia to the 28th International KVN Festival serves for politicization of culture and KVN, and does not comply with its goals and objectives.
The remarks were made in the statement by Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued on January 13.
The Foreign Ministry expressed regret and dissatisfaction over the invitation of the teams of the unrecognized regime to the KVN Festival, which takes place from January 10 to 23 in Russian city of Sochi.
“Such action also runs contrary to the spirit of strategic partnership relations between Azerbaijan and Russia,” reads the statement.
The Foreign Ministry said that the Azerbaijani community and KVN lovers and fans sharply protest against the invitation of “S hlebom i solyu” and “DeleYaman” teams to KVN Festival, and assess it as a provocative and biased step.
“The international community recognizes Nagorno-Karabakh as an integral part of Azerbaijan and supports the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty,” reads the statement.
The Foreign Ministry also noted that by creating conditions for participation of “S hlebom i solyu” and “DeleYaman” teams in the festival, KVN International Union and Television Creative Association AMIK demonstrate non-friendly position supporting the violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan.
This action serves for propagating and promoting Armenia's aggression, the illegal regime established in the occupied territories and separatism, said the ministry.
The Foreign Ministry voiced its hope that KVN and AMIK will prevent the participation of such provocative teams in the festival, that are promoting separatism and undermining the spirit of KVN objectives aimed at promotion of friendship, prosperity and peace among peoples.
All-Russia Azerbaijan Congress on behalf of the Azerbaijani Diaspora in Russia also protested against participation of these teams in the KVN Festival. Moreover, this action of KVN and AMIK was condemned by the Azerbaijani youth living in Russia.
For more than two decades Armenia and Azerbaijan are in a state of war following Yerevan’s aggression, ethnic cleansing policy and illegal territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenia keeps under control over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions in a brutal war in the early 1990s.
Despite a fragile ceasefire agreement signed in 1994, Armenia keeps violating armistice with Azerbaijan.
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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov
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