Trend, Azerbaijan
Aug 17 2009
A number of facts about Azerbaijani history rigged on exhibition in
Washington
The United States, Washington, Aug. 17 /Trend News, N.Bogdanova/
A number of facts about Azerbaijani history were rigged on an
exhibition "The Tsar and East gifts from Turkey and Iran in the
Moscow, Kremlin" in Washington DC at the Smithsonian Institution.
The exhibition represents items of 15th-17-th centuries that were
given as a present by Safavid and Ottoman kings to Russian tsars.
Both on the information booklet and explanations under some items the
presents given to tsars by Safavid kings, (especially by Shah Ismail
1) are represented as "Iranian Safavid king’s presents given with the
help of ruling New Julfa Armenians".
The information also doesn’t state where exactly New Julfa belongs
to. It is just mention that in those years Armenian merchants were a
dominating the region of New Julfa and they had there trade
centers. The book published on the occasion of the exhibition says
that Armenians contained the majority of Safavid Imperia. There is no
any reminder about Azerbaijan in the book and at the exhibition.
Julfa is a city in the Eastern Azerbaijan Province of the
north-western Iran which is located in the border with Nakhchivan
Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan. Its administrative centre is the
Julfa city. Population numbers about 56,000 people (2006).
Julfa as the entire Nakhchivan-Zangazur region is a subject of dispute
between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Armenians claim to Julfa, seeking to
present this city to the world as an Armenian city.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding
districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in
1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the
U.S. – are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Sponsors of the exhibition are the LUKoil company, US-Russia business
Council and Russian-American Chamber of Trade. The exhibition is
organized by the Moscow Kremlin museums and the Arthur M.Sackler
Gallery, Smithsonian institute. The exhibition will last till
September 13th.