PanARMENIAN.Net

A new book about the Armenian heritage destruction organized by Azerbaijan
26.04.2009 00:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ At the European Armenian Federation’s invitation,
Professor Rouben Galichian came to introduce his new book `The
Invention of History’ to representatives of the European Commission,
European Armenian Federation for Justice & Democracy reports.

The book gives a progress report on the cartographic modifications and
the heritage destruction organized by Azerbaijan in order to deny any
anteriority of the Armenian presence in the current territories of
Azerbaijan. Professor Galichian is an expert in cartography and has
carried out investigations on the destructions or `transformations’ of
the Armenian heritage by Azerbaijan.

The Most famous of these operations is the one which put an end in
2004 to the centuries-old existence of the site of Julfa where,
following the example of the Talibans, the Azeri government destroyed
more than 4000 khachkars (cross-stones) typical of Armenian religious
art.

The members of the Commission explained that they are aware of these
problems and also shared their concern. Thus, the meetings turned
around the quarrelsome rhetoric diffused permanently by Baku as well
as the hate based educational programme aimed towards the Azeri youth.

The participants also evoked the question of establishing measures of
confidence building in this hostile context, the possible resumption
of the hostilities by Azerbaijan and the limits imposed by Baku on
European officials’ freedom of movement in the area.

`We are glad to note a certain knowledge from members of the European
Commission about these heritage and historical misappropriations’
declared Hilda Tchoboian, the president of the European Armenian
Federation. `The Commission seems to understand that Armenia accepts
with difficulty the quarrelsome attitude of its neighbor Azerbaijan
which wishes war and which encourages its population with hatred’ she
continued.

`But Azerbaijan needs Europe more than the opposite. The Union could
thus be more assertive with Baku taking into consideration the
principles that the EU set up through the European Neighbourhood
Policy and the Eastern Partnership’ continued Hilda Tchoboian.

`While agreeing not to go into Artsakh because that upsets Baku, the
Union ratifies a line of demarcation imposed by Azerbaijan in
contradiction with the principles which she intends to defend’
concluded the President of the European Armenian Federation.