Baku urges Moscow to take firm measures against anti-Azerbaijani provocations by Russian media
By Vugar Khalilov
Baku has urged Moscow to take prompt measures against Russian mass media outlets engaged in anti-Azerbaijani provocations, Azernews reports, citing the nation's embassy in Russia.
The embassy sent a note of protest to the Russian Foreign Ministry in response to the questioning of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and distortion of the state map during the broadcast of the Great Game talk show on Russia's First Channel on October 20-21.
“Azerbaijan has urged Russia to take urgent measures to stop the provocative actions of Russian media representatives and prevent their recurrence in the future," the note of protest reads.
The embassy emphasized that throughout the program, Russian political experts and pundits of Armenian descent made explicit anti-Azerbaijani statements, calling into doubt Azerbaijan's territorial integrity by misrepresenting the state map.
The note of protest highlighted that guests of the talk show incited revanchist Armenian groups to resurrect the former conflict sowing the seeds of hostility between the two nations by openly fomenting separatism.
The embassy emphasized that the use of biased remarks and explicit political provocations on the state-funded TV channel contradicts Russia's official position, which has been frequently declared by the Russian president, who has expressed support for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. These provocations also undermine the efforts to maintain long-term peace, stability, and security in the area, the document added.
The embassy emphasized that media representatives must avoid provocations that might threaten fragile regional peace by aggravating the situation.
It was also regretfully highlighted that the host of the abovementioned talk show and one of the direct participants in this "performance" is Vyacheslav Nikonov, a member of the United Russia faction and the first deputy head of the Russian State Duma Committee on International Affairs.
Such behavior by representatives of the Russian ruling party runs against the spirit of the Azerbaijani-Russian strategic partnership and allied interaction, and substantially hurts bilateral ties, the embassy stressed.
The embassy recalled that the relevant provisions of the Azerbaijani-Russian Declaration on Mutual Cooperation (February 22, 2022) prohibit any actions that jeopardize strategic partnership and allied ties, as well as undermine the states' sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. The document also envisages joint efforts for fighting separatism.
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