Boris Gryzlov, Speaker of the RF State Duma, stated Russia respects Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

“Russia’s position is unambiguous and invariable: Russia recognizes and respects Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity,” he said. The State Duma did not officially send any of its members to Nagorno-Karabakh, and the leadership was not informed of Russian parliamentarians’ trip to the elections, Gryzlov said. “They must have known that I would reject their request,” he stated at his meeting with Speaker of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis Ogtay Asadov, Bakililar.az reports.

Speaker Asadov pointed out that Azerbaijan and Russia and strategic partners, with no problems in bilateral relations.

At his meeting Speaker Asadov on June 4 Mironov stated Russia does not recognize any sovereign entity named Nagorno-Karabakh nor is it going to recognize it in the future. The Russian parliamentarians’ trip there was “an unnecessary act of presumption.”

While in Yerevan during a conference of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly Council, Speaker Gryzlov stated he is keeping track with the developments in Nagorno-Karabakh. He pointed out clear steps and prerequisites for necessary decisions aimed at resolving the conflict. The measures have to do with both Nagorno-Karabakh’s status and the surrounding territories.