UNESCO MISSION TO INVESTIGATE THE STATE OF ARMENIAN MONUMENTS IN NAKHIJEVAN

ArmRadio.am
26.06.2007 11:16

The Republic of Armenia has got the UNESCO mission to arrive in
Nakhijevan to assess the state of Armenian cultural monuments in Old
Jugha. Acting Press Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
told Armenpress that it’s not a secret that Armenian monuments in
on the territory of Azerbaijan, especially in Nakhijevan, have been
systematically demolished.

The question has been repeatedly raised in UNESCO, the UN and European
structures.

Letters have been sent to UNESCO Secretary General in 1998, 2002
and 2005, presenting the situation and urging to take measures
to stop the cultural genocide against the Armenian monuments of
Nakhijevan. According to Vladimir Karapetyan, the numerous steps in
the direction of drawing the attention of the international community
to the intentional destruction of Armenian khachkars in Nakhijevan
in 2006 helped break the ice of silence.

"Armenia highly appreciates the visit of the UNESCO mission to assess
the state of monuments," Vladimir Karapetyan said.

It should be noted that when Armenia demanded to send a mission to
Old Jugha, Azerbaijan voiced tha the mission should investigate the
state of monuments in Nagorno Karabakh.

According to Vladimir Karapetyan, RA Foreign Minister VartaN Oskanian
has mentioned in the letter to UNESCO that for its part Armenia
is ready to arrange the visit of a fact-finding mission to Nagorno
Karabakh in case of consent of the authorities of Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh.

The UNESCO mission will be headed by British MP Edward O’Hara. The
date of tehvist is not certain yet.