Baku, April 1, AZERTAC

“Provocative activity of the Armenian circles cannot cast a shadow on the Azerbaijani-Russian relations,” said the Azerbaijani President`s Aide for Public and Political Affairs Ali Hasanov as he commented on a press conference in which chairman of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots Leonid Slutsky refuted the Armenian media allegations that the Russian MP made anti-Azerbaijani remarks during his recent visit to Yerevan.

Mr. Hasanov said recent joint events, projects, counter-campaigns carried out by official bodies, public organizations and diasporas of Azerbaijan and Turkey have been effective and successful.

“This has resulted in the fiasco of Armenia`s years-long dirty propaganda against Azerbaijan and Turkey.”

Mr. Hasanov noted that “we have managed to destroy biased anti-Azerbaijani and anti-Turkish stereotypes, and exposed that the image of the oppressed Armenian nation and their claims of Armenian genocide were a complete fabrication.”

“Thanks to this awareness-raising campaign about years-long Armenian aggression and genocide against Azerbaijani people, even more international organizations, countries, and some states of the U.S. started to call the aggressor by its name. A number of resolutions condemning occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia and recognizing the Khojaly genocide have been adopted.”

“So, Armenians failed to reach their goals set on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the so-called genocide. And all this threw the Armenian government, bodies responsible for its foreign policy, sly propaganda, and diaspora into hysterics,” he added.

Mr. Hasanov described the Armenian media allegations related to Leonid Slutsky as “another unlucky effort”.

“These steps were aimed at casting a shadow on the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Russia, close relationship between the parliamentarians, NGOs, civil institutions and intellectuals of the two countries,” he noted.

Mr. Hasanov said: “We consider Mr. Slutsky a loyal friend of the Azerbaijani people, government and political leadership of the country. This friendship is based on centuries-old historic traditions between Azerbaijan and Russia, political and economic interests, mutual respect of each-other`s sovereign policy, and, certainly, humane relations, which withstood the test of decades. I am confident that our relations with Russia will further develop. Azerbaijan`s friends like Leonid Slutsky will continue to made contribution to these ties.”