Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the invitation of the KVN teams representing the illegal regime established in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan to the 28th International KVN Festival

We express our regret and discontent in regards with the invitation of the “С хлебом и солью" and "DeleYaman” KVN teams representing the illegal regime established in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan by the International Union of the “Club of the Funny and Inventive People” (KVN) and "AMIK" creative television community to the 28th International KVN Festival group taking place on 10-23 January 2017 in Sochi.

The Azerbaijani public, the numerous KVN fans and lovers of our country having perceived it as a provocative and biased action, strongly protest against the invitation of the "С хлебом и солью" and "DeleYaman" teams to the 28th International KVN Festival.

The Republic of Azerbaijan has always supported the spirit, goals and objectives of the KVN movement, which contributes to promoting peace and friendship among peoples and nations. The KVN team of our country has traditionally taken an active part in KVN competitions and festivals and contributed to the development of this movement. The latest achievements of the Azerbaijani KVN team are clear demonstration of it.

However, the invitation of the "С хлебом и солью" and "DeleYaman" teams, which represent the illegal regime established in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan by Armenia, to the 28th International KVN Festival serves for the politicization of culture and KVN, does not comply with the goals and objectives of KVN and runs contrary to the spirit of strategic partnership relations between Azerbaijan and Russia.

The whole international community recognizes Nagorno-Karabakh as an inalienable part of Azerbaijan and supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The “KVN” International Union and the “AMIK” creative television community, by allowing the participation of the “С хлебом и солью” and “DeleYaman” teams in the 28th International KVN Festival, demonstrates unfriendly action towards Azerbaijan that supports violation of its territorial integrity and sovereignty and serves for propagating and promoting of Armenia's aggression and the policy of occupation against Azerbaijan, as well as the illegal regime established as a result of bloody ethnic cleansing in the occupied territories and separatism. The organizers of this event are very well aware that 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory have been occupied, and more than one million people have been expelled from their lands and have become refugees and internally displaced people as a result of Armenian aggression.

We stand hopeful that “KVN” International Union and “AMIK” creative television community will not allow the participation of such provocative teams which pursue the goal of propagating separatism and undermining the spirit of KVN which is based on promoting of friendship among peoples, prosperity and peace.