Azerbaijan's culture minister says country's doors open to "blacklisted" Russian singer

“If Katya Lel confesses that she is unaware of Karabakh policy and recognizes Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, one should respect her.

Of course, in this case our doors should be open for her. But if someone supports the policy of our disgraced neighbors, our doors are close for this person, we will not allow him even to approach Azerbaijan’s border,” Culture and Tourism Minister Abulfas Garayev said while answering APA’s question about the concert that will be given in Heydar Aliyev Palace on January 30 by Katya Lel, who gave concert in 2005 in Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region occupied by Armenians.

Minister said the ban on Katya Lel’s concert in Azerbaijan was lifted after she apologized to the Azerbaijani people and state.

“Katya Lel apologized and understood her mistake and if she wants to give a concert in Azerbaijan, we should offer opportunities for her to correct her mistake. Katya Lel paid a one-day visit to Karabakh and expressed her protest after learning the situation. She apologized to Azerbaijani state and people. She said she loves Azerbaijan,” he said.

Abulfas Garayev spoke about unpleasant policy pursued by Armenians.

“Our disgraced neighbors are pursuing an interesting policy. They deceive and take to Karabakh the singers, culture figures, who are not engaged in policy, and then say that they gave concert in Karabakh. The arrival of Gerard Depardieu to Azerbaijan was about to cause ado. But when Gerard Depardieu knew that this is the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, he expressed his protest and did not go anywhere,” he said.


/APA/