RIA Novosti has removed an interview with Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) State Minister Artak Beglaryan after authorities in Azerbaijan blocked the news website.

After the interview was published, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry declared that the interview with "separatist" motifs "overshadows Russia's efforts to establish peace, and the 2022 declaration on allied cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan."

In particular, Beglaryan said Russian peacekeepers should remain in the region, as Azerbaijan is not ready to hold negotiations based on three principles proposed by international mediators – territorial integrity, the right of nations to self-determination and non-use of force or threat of use of force.

Beglaryan said that the Karabakh authorities are always negotiating with Armenia over the recognition of the republic, but there is no progress yet. He added that in fact Armenia has recognized Nagorno-Karabakh, as equal ties have been established between the republics.