It was a show of good will
Statement by the Department of Information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
"The comments made by Azeri mass media outlets and state officials on the latest initiative taken by Armenian and Azeri intellectuals distort the events that actually took place.
Upon the request of the mass media, the Department of Information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic made the following statementt:
The Nagorno-Karabakh authorities showed good will once again by agreeing to host representatives of Armenian and Azeri intellectuals under leadership of Armenian and Azeri Ambassadors in Russia Armen Smbatyan and Polad Bul-bul ogli, Envoy for Special Assignments of the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry, Special Representative of the Russian President on Culture Mikhail Shvidkoy, reaffirming its loyalty toward the peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
As for the route of the Azeri delegation's visit and some discrepancies regarding the staff, not only did the Karabakh side change the route, but removed Deputy of the Azeri Mili Mejlis Khavva Mamedova and delegate Chingiz Ismailov due to the emphasized anti-Karabakh and anti-Armenian standpoints.
Taking into account the Azeri side's interest in the visit, it is not hard to presume that the official Baku is trying to find ways to subject the negotiations format to radical changes and lead direct negotiations with the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, to which there is no alternative. This is an act that deserves our attention, taking into consideration the signs of mutual visits and the weakening of tension among the societies in conflict.
The visit is also interesting in that being in Nagorno-Karabakh, the representatives of Azerbaijan's intellectuality were convinced once again that they are dealing with a developed state which, regardless of the post-independence period, the overcoming of aggression from Azerbaijan, the war that was waged against the people's will, as well as the prohibitions and hardships, has registered progress at unprecedented heights in all spheres and that the best preconditions have been created for international recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh's independence," as stated in the statement.
