The statement of the official representative of the Russian foreign ministry Boris Malakhov on the coming presidential elections in Nagorno Karabakh is "a concealed form of assistance to the aspirations of the Armenian separatists." Former state advisor on foreign affairs of Azerbaijan Vafa Guluzade told "Turan" agency about it. He substantiated his opinion saying that the Russian diplomat had not spoken about the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in his statement, but had only noted Moscow's support of the principle. At the same time Malakhov had stated about support of other main norms and principles of the international law. In Guluzade's words, it means that Moscow also supports the principle of people's right for self-determination, "which is the favorite item referred to by the Armenian party in the question of the Karabakh conflict settlement." Although the Russian foreign ministry representative said the Russian leadership did not recognize Nagorno Karabakh as an independent state, Guluzade did not like the expression that "Moscow does not consider that the process of settling the Nagorno Karabakh problem can depend on holding presidential elections there."