Putin calls Azerbaijani President Aliyev “a problem”

YEREVAN, JULY 22, ARMENPRESS. During a July 21 meeting with children of the Sirius educational center in Sochi, President of Russia Vladimir Putin made a remark about his meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, which was to take place later in the day.

At the end of the meeting, a Russian TV host from NTV made a humorous remark that the lengthy meeting with the children might cause problems because Putin has prepared presents only for the 4 kids who have birthdays on July 21, to which the Russian President responded “I’m gonna have a problem in an hour. In one hour I will meet with the Azerbaijani president”. (transcript according to official website of the Kremlin)

Earlier in February, Jean-Claude Juncker – the European Commission president had made a similar remark about Aliyev.

At the end of a press conference, Juncker thanked the reporters and said “Thank you, have a nice day. Now I will meet the Azerbaijani president: therefore the nice part of the day is over for me”.

Baku hasn’t yet commented on Putin’s statement, just like it never commented on Juncker’s remark.