Maria Zakharova, the official spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, has called a question from an Armenian journalist regarding Azerbaijan-Russia bilateral relations "absurd and ridiculous."
During a press briefing, an Armenian media representative posed a provocative question concerning the summoning of Azerbaijani and Russian ambassadors and the bilateral agenda between the two countries.
Zakharova found the question ridiculous, especially coming from an Armenian journalist.
"I thought you were going to ask me about the statement on the 'Armenian genocide' that was made in Davos," she remarked.
"The question about how we build bilateral relations with Azerbaijan, not on the track of settling the situation between Baku and Yerevan, where Russia indeed plays a mediating role, seems absurd," Zakharova stated.
She reminded that the Russian Foreign Ministry had already commented on this issue. "Why do Armenian media representatives ask questions not about Russian-Armenian issues, but about bilateral relations between other countries?" she asked.
Instead of acknowledging the inappropriateness of the question, the Armenian journalist began arguing, claiming that Azerbaijani media supposedly ask similar questions regarding Russian-Armenian relations.
"I don't want to use the word 'untrue,' but that's not correct. You can look at our past briefings and see that questions from Azerbaijani media concern bilateral agenda or issues of settling the situation in the South Caucasus. They certainly touch on other issues as well, but they are interested in the international agenda as a whole," Zakharova responded.