Mammadyarov: Russian citizens of Armenian origin ‘free to visit Azerbaijan’
Russian citizens with Armenian family names are ‘free to visit Baku’ anytime, but they must notice the Azerbaijani Embassy in Russia in advance to avoid tensions, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said in an interview to Izvestia newspaper.
“We say that if there are Russian citizens of Armenian descent who want to visit Azerbaijan, they are welcome. But they need at least to inform our embassy [in Moscow] since we have a visa-free regime with Russia. The information received in advance will help us avoid excesses, given the emotional backdrop regarding the ongoing [Nagorno-Karabakh] conflict. We have always outspoken with Russia on the matter,” he said.
Earlier in 2016, the Azerbaijani border service denied entry to Olga Barsegyan, a Russian citizen of Armenian origin, citing security concerns.