Lithuania: Azeris protested against theater’s trip to Nagorno-Karaba

Baltic News Service / – BNS
November 9, 2012 Friday 2:52 PM EET

Lithuania: Azeris protested against theater’s trip to Nagorno-Karabakh

KAUNAS, Lithuania , Nov 09, BNS – A group of Azeris protested against
the Kaunas Chamber Theater’s trip to Nagorno-Karabakh on Friday.

“The road to Nagorno-Karabakh goes via Azerbaijan, and we demand
respect Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. The Kaunas Chamber Theater
does not respect Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and
Nagorno-Karabakh being a part of Azerbaijan recognized by the
international law,” the Azeris said.

The group handed in an English-language statement to the theater’s
director Egidijus Ramosiunas.

“You went to Armenia to a festival, but do you now that this territory
does not belong to Armenia but is part of Azerbaijan?” one of the
protesters asked Tamosiunas while handing in the statement.

“We know that it’s (the play – BNS) not politics but you, Lithuanians,
are our friend, and that territory was taken from us by Armenia,” the
protester added.

“The theater is an apolitical organization. We show our performance
and that’s it. We don’t resolve territorial issues,” the theater’s
director said.

“Festival Armonia” is an international festival with deep traditions.
It is held in Yerevan and other cities, as far as I know. We attend
the festival. If Azerbaijan invites us, we’ll go to Azerbaijan,”
Tamosiunas said.

Lithuania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed it to BNS last week
it had received a diplomatic note from Azerbaijan’s Embassy in
Vilnius, saying that persons going to Nagorno-Karabakh, which is
internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, need Azerbaijan’s
permission as visiting Nagorno-Karabakh violates sovereignty of the
Republic of Azerbaijan and its territorial integrity as well as
international legal norms and principles.