Russia urges stronger cultural and humanitarian ties with Azerbaijan

Russia’s Foreign Ministry has said cultural and humanitarian ties with Azerbaijan should be stepped up, noting that such contacts have weakened recently.

Mikhail Kalugin, director of the ministry’s fourth department for CIS countries, told TASS that full-fledged bilateral cooperation is impossible without close cultural and humanitarian contacts.

According to Kalugin, the two sides are already considering several promising initiatives. These include creating a joint university in Azerbaijan based on Saint Petersburg State University, opening schools under the embassies of the two countries in Moscow and Baku, and restoring the work of the Russian Information and Cultural Centre in Azerbaijan.

Kalugin also said there were ideas to install monuments to prominent figures of the two countries in both Russia and Azerbaijan.

The diplomat added that there is public demand for the resumption of tours by creative groups, as well as for regular youth and interregional forums.