Azernews.Az

BAKU – Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry is scrutinizing reports about world famous Italian singer Al Bano’s visit to the self-proclaimed Nagorno Karabakh Republic operating in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, the ministry spokesman said.

Elkhan Polukhov said that if Al Bano’s visit to Nagorno Karabakh without Baku’s approval is confirmed, he will be included in "the black list" of people who are not welcome in Azerbaijan.

Armenian media has reported that the Italian pop star sang his top single "Felicita" in the annual Donkey race organized in Vank village of Karabakh’s Aghdara region. The event was reportedly organized by Levon Hayrapetian, a wealthy Vank-born Russian entrepreneur, on whose initiative such races have taken place annually since 2003.

Along with allocating a grand prize of $5,000 for the tournament winner, Hayrapetian invited Al Bano to watch the race.

"I came to Karabakh, because someone called me, and I enjoy it, because this is my first time in Karabakh," the singer told Radio Liberty’s Armenian service.

Nagorno Karabakh is an Azerbaijani region occupied by Armenia since a 1994 cease-fire ended a war that killed an estimated 30,000 people and ousted about one million Azerbaijanis from their homes. Years of peace talks have brought few tangible results.