FM: ‘Azerbaijani side knew in advance about the BBC correspondent`s visit to Nagorno-Karabakh’

Baku.9 April.REPORT.AZ/ “The Azerbaijani side knew in advance about the BBC correspondent Rayhan Demytrie`s visit to Azerbaijan`s occupied lands,” said spokesman for Azerbaijan`s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hikmat Hajiyev.

“The management of the BBC World News service addressed a letter to Azerbaijan regarding this visit.”

Mr. Hajiyev noted that in the letter the BBC expressed its respects for sovereignty, territorial integrity, internationally recognized borders and the laws and regulations of Azerbaijan that permit visits to its occupied lands. He said the BBC asked permission to send its correspondent Rayhan Demytrie to Azerbaijan`s Nagorno-Karabakh region to make a report.

The spokesman said: “Although we don`t accept some points highlighted in the BBC video, we respect professional activity of a journalist based on the laws of the country, and freedom of press.”

Mr. Hajiyev said: “Unfortunately, the so-called regime created by the Armenian side in the occupied lands of Azerbaijan prevented the making of a detailed report. As a rule, representatives of foreign mass media who visit the occupied lands of Azerbaijan are allowed to move on a limited route and film under strict control. If a journalist was allowed to film, he would have been able to present the atrocities committed against the property of Azerbaijani citizens who were subjected to ethnic cleansing and against the historical, cultural and religious monuments belonging to the Azerbaijani people in the occupied lands of Azerbaijan. If the BBC correspondent was allowed to get in touch with the ordinary people, she would have seen the miserable situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan which emerged as a result of the Armenian aggression.”