MFA spokesperson Leyla Abdullayeva responded to CNN sports correspondent’s question on the non-participation of Arsenal FC midfielder player in the game and position of the Armenian MFA on that regard.

Abdullayeva reminded that the relevant Azerbaijani authorities and Azerbaijan Football Association provided UEFA with full security guarantee for all players and all fans to travel to Baku for UEFA Europe League final game of 29 May 2019 and as MFA spokesperson she repeatedly stated that sports and politics are separate. She emphasized that the statement of Armenia MFA on that regard testifies to attempts of Armenia to turn sport into an instrument of politics due to its internal political problems. She called absurd the racism accusations of Armenia, a mono-ethnic country that has conducted ethnic cleansing in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, adding that the tolerance and multiculturalism environment in Azerbaijan is well known throughout the world.

MFA spokesperson states that the comment of Armenian MFA is just another attempt to negatively impact the negotiations over the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement or even an effort to use any chance for postponement of substantial talks on the resolution of the conflict.

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