Russian Foreign Ministry representative Maria Zakharova has weighed in on statements attributed by Azerbaijan to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, calling on everyone to focus solely on Moscow's position, and not on other interpretations.

On September 23, Lavrov met an Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation headed by the chairwoman of the Milli Mejlis, Sahiba Gafarova. Following the meeting, the website of the Azerbaijani parliament posted a message, according to which the Russian foreign policy chief had allegedly said that "the statements of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Nagorno-Karabakh impede the process of resolving the conflict." The message went on to say that "this is the position of Moscow. The Russian side advocates the return of the five occupied regions, the deployment of peacekeepers and the restoration of the transport and communication system."

"As for the correctness of the quotes made by the Russian minister, I would like to draw your attention and address these questions to the sources that spread this information. Therefore, to be honest, I will not even focus on that," Zakharova told a briefing on Wednesday, September 23.

Zakharova noted that Russia's position on this issue is "well known" and urged against focusing on "various interpretations that do not come from the Russian side."