Armenia, Armenian cities and Armenian specialists were deliberately left out of a conference on late antique urbanism in Southern Caucasus to be held in Denmark in October, historian Hamlet Petrosyan, the head of the archaeological expeditions of Dvin and Artsakh’s Tigranakert, wrote on monumentwatch.org website on Sunday.

“With pain and disappointment we inform that in such a tragic situation in the Caucasus, a number of our esteemed colleagues have taken the path of obvious political approaches, taking the initiative to join “Cities on the Edge. Exploring Late Antique Urbanism in the Southern Caucasus (AD 300–600)” conference, where Armenia, Armenian cities and Armenian specialists were deliberately left out (details are available here),” he said.

“It is impossible to present the urban culture of the Caucasus without Armenian cities, Armenian primary sources and researchers. But this is not a new thing. I am sorry that my good friends Lara Fabian and Murtuzali Gadjiev, who are on the list of participants, did not report such an outrageous breach of academic conduct.

“It is not a matter of misunderstanding, but of deliberate orientation. If personal interest is higher than scientific integrity, there is no point in asking, explaining or expecting honesty.

“We are sorry and disappointed,” Petrosyan said.