"NAGORNO-GARABAGH’S CHRISTIAN ARCHITECTURE MONUMENTS HAVE NOT ANY RELATION TO ARMENIANS"
demaz.org
15.09.2006
According to Rizvan Bayramov, a scholar-historian, there were nearly
700 historical monuments in Azerbaijani territories occupied by
Armenians Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenian aggressors
have rich flora and fauna as well as historical and cultural monuments.
According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, in occupied
Azerbaijani territories there are 689 monuments, of which 13 (6
architecture and 7 archeological) of worldwide importance, 242 (117
architecture and 7 archeological) – of state importance and 434 (373
architecture and 23 archeological monuments, 21 parks and monuments,
17 works of arts and crafts) – of local importance.
In Armenian-controlled areas there are still such archeological
monuments of worldwide importance as Gulu Musa oghlu’s tomb in
Aghdam (1314), Ganjasar in Kalbajar (1218), the Khudaferin Bridges
in Jabrayil, historical engineering reserve in Shusha city, the Azikh
Cave in Fizuli, and also Niftaly tumulus in Khojaly and Jabrayil.
Rizvan Bayramov, chief of the Cultural Heritage Department of the
Ministry of Culture and Tourism and historian-scholar informed that
lands occupied by Armenia are the territories of the West Azerbaijan.
According to him, almost all cultural and historical monuments there
have been destroyed or "Armenianized".
Many experts consider that the mentioned statistics do not meet
realities. According to them, in Soviet period there was not a
chance to make up and to examine true list of cultural and historical
monuments of the mentioned territories.
As R. Bayramov informed, it is impossible to say concrete things on
this occasion: "In Soviet time a number of monuments of Azerbaijan
were included to a certain list. Such lists were made up in 1968, 1981
and 1988. Just in Shusha the Government registered 200 architectural
monuments. Anyway, it is very difficult to call a precise number of
monuments in the territory of Nagorno-Garabagh, as any time the list
can be completed owing to new archeological finds. There are cases
when one or another monument is in forest or people know it, but it
is unknown for scholars. Thus, it is impossible to deny availability
of new historical and cultural monuments in occupied territories. Any
way, under the list of 1988 there are 700 monuments."
The Armenians resort to any methods to prove that Nagorno-Garabagh
and adjacent territories "belong" to Armenia. They have their will
to date. But according to the historian-scholar, the historical
truth is that the Armenians appeared in these territories just when
the Russian Empire that occupied Azerbaijan began resettlement of
Armenians living in Iran and other countries there: "I’d say that
the Christian monuments in occupied Azerbaijani lands have not any
relation to Armenians, as all of them belong to us."
Armenians’ attitude to the historical and cultural monuments
of Garabagh and adjacent territories is an axiom for each
Azerbaijanian. According to R. Bayramov, equally with everybody the
Ministry receives information from mass media and those who visited
Nagorno-Garabagh: "We have not other information sources. But in
connection with environmental protection and guard the former Ministry
of Culture and present Ministry of Culture and Tourism repeatedly
addressed to international organizations. They’ve addressed to UNESCO,
International Center for the Study of the Preservation and restoration
of Cultural Property, International Council of Museums, International
Council on Monuments and Sites, etc.
Recently Minister of Culture and Tourism addressed once more to
UNESCO concerning fires made by Armenians in occupied Azerbaijani
territories. It is quite probable that recent fires resulted in
complete annihilation of the oldest cemetery in Khojavend."
R. Bayramov reminded the fact that the point of the 1954 Hague
Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of
Armed Conflict says that if the State has not a chance to protect its
cultural monuments, it has the right to address to the United Nations:
"The UN special committee should take all responsibility for cultural
values guard of any State.
It is appropriate mention that in connection with that we have done
a serious work and prepared appropriate statement submitted to the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I think that MFA, in turn, will make
all efforts and send a letter to relevant structures."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress