BAKU. July 2 (Interfax) - British Ambassador to Azerbaijan Irfan Siddiq has been summoned by the Azeri Foreign Ministry where he was notified of a protest over the upcoming visit by the president of the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), Bako Sahakyan, to London to attend an event at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, on July 8.
"It was noted that such things are not consistent with the spirit of the existing friendly and strategic relations between Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom and are seen as a move aimed against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Having noted that the UK does not recognize the independence of Nagorno Karabakh and does not maintain any ties with it, Ambassador Siddiq said he will inform his country's Foreign Office about Azerbaijan's concerns.
The Azeri Embassy in the UK, too, held a meeting at the UK Foreign Office and handed over the relevant note of protest.
In its reply, the UK Foreign Office said that London supports the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Azerbaijan and does not recognize the NKR.
It said that the visit by the NKR leader is not organized by the government and he will have no meetings with government officials during his stay in London.
The Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, invited Sahakyan to London to attend a discussion of the situation around Nagorno Karabakh and regional security and relations between various entities on July 8. Sahakyan is invited as a speaker and will be introduced as the president of the de-facto Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.