RF PUBLIC CHAMBER COMMISSION CONDEMNS ACT OF VANDALISM BY AZERBAIJAN AT ARMENIAN CEMETERY IN NAKHIJEVAN

Yerevan, May 19. ArmInfo. May 17 session of the Russian Federation
Public Chamber Commission for Cultural and Spiritual Heritage condemned
the desecration of Armenian cemetery in Nakhijevan as act of vandalism
by Azerbaijan. The editorial office of the “Yerkramas” newspaper
of Armenians of Russia informs ArmInfo that the session studied the
“Appeal of Moscow Roundtable Participants: Armenian Cultural Monuments
of Nakhijevan – act of vandalism by Azerbaijan.”

The session was chaired Metropolitan Klement, Moscow Patriarchy.

In his report, Victor Krivopuskov, President of the Society for
Friendship and Cooperation with Armenia, mentions the desecration
and ruining of the ancient Armenian cemetery with 4,000 khachkars
(middle age Armenian Christian monuments) by Azerbaijan in Old Juga,
Nakhijevan, in December 2005, despite the efforts of UNESCO.

Since the period when Nakhijevan became part of Azerbaijan, 27,000
hearths of Armenian cultural heritage of the 7-19th centuries
were destroyed. Factually, Azerbaijan is waging a state policy of
liquidating the ethnic proofs that testify to Nakhijevan’s belonging
to Armenia.

Speaking at the session were the historian and film director Kim
Bakshi, the writer and a member of the Union of Russian Writers
Council Valentin Osipov, President of the International Academy of
Spiritual Unity of Peoples, Georgy Trapeznikov, President of the
Russian-Armenian Commonwealth organization, Yuri Navoyan, Chairman of
Moscow Friendly Association “Nakhijevan” Sergey Abgaryan. They declared
that during the last years Azerbaijan has been waging a state policy of
falsifying the history of Russia and Armenia consciously misleading its
people and the international community, which affects the historical,
the present and the future interests of Russia, its relations with
Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The Public Chamber Commission for Cultural and Spiritual Heritage
expressed an intention to study how Azerbaijan preserves the cultural
and spiritual heritage of other peoples together with other commissions
of the Public Chamber for tolerance and freedom of religion, culture,
globalization and national strategy of development, international
cooperation and public diplomacy.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress