AZERBAIJAN INCLUDES CALIFORNIA SENATOR IN ‘BLACK LIST’
Tert.am
03.10.11
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry has included California Senator Joseph
Simitian into the “black list” of those prohibited to visit Azerbaijan,
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Elman Abdullayev told Trend.
The move comes after Simitian visited the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh
– a disputed territory between Armenia and Azerbaijan – without
permission from Azerbaijani authorities.
“Prior to his visit to Armenia, Simitian held meetings in Baku,”
Abdullayev said. “However, unfortunately, he travelled to the
Azerbaijani lands occupied by Armenia, showing disrespect for the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, not informing
the relevant bodies of the Azerbaijan Republic and without permission.”
“Accordingly, the ministry made a decision to include him in the list
of persona non-grata,” he added.
Earlier, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry included in its “black list”
reporters of the Russian online newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta
(Independent Newspaper) and radio station Echo Moskvy for the same
reason.