GOVAERMENT BLASTS RUSSIAN ART CRITIC FOR VANDALISM CLAIM

AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
March 30 2006

The Azerbaijani government has condemned a Russian culture worker’s
recent statement concerning the alleged destruction of ancient graves
in Azerbaijan’s exclave of Nakhchivan.

Mikhail Piotrovski of Armenian descent, who heads the Hermitage, one
of the largest museums in the world and is a correspondent member
of the Russian Academy of Sciences, went as far as describing the
alleged destruction of Armenian tombstone crosses in Julfa, Nakhchivan
Autonomous Republic, as a crime. In a statement, the Ministry of
Culture and Tourism said the utterances by Piotrovski and distortion
of historic facts showed that he is misinformed on the matter.

In 1960s, after an appeal by the Armenian Catalicos [clerical leader]
to then Soviet leadership, the tombstones in Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh
and Julfa cemeteries were transferred to Armenia. Moreover, other
ancient tombstones dating back to the period of Caucasus Albania were
stolen from five Azerbaijani districts and also moved to Armenia. The
views of Armenian historians, who politicized the issue and distorted
the facts were reflected in the mentioned statements by the Russian
cultural figure, the Ministry indicated. The statement said further
that Armenian barbarians, ignoring the demands of UNESCO and other
international organizations, continue to pursue their policy of
aggression. It warned that Piotrovski’s views do not reflect those
of influential and unbiased Russian historians and scholars.

Piotrovski’s statement and his inclination to mix science with
politics comes as no surprise due to his origin. His mother is of
Armenian descent, while his father is an academician of the Armenian
Academy of Sciences.