NDP condemns visit of  Azerbaijani delegation to Armenia amid ongoing  destruction of Armenian heritage in occupied Artsakh

ArmInfo.The National Democratic Pole (NDP) Party strongly condemns the visit of the delegation led by Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev  to the Republic of Armenia.

In a statement issued by the party, it is noted that the visit took  place just days after the barbaric destruction of the Church of the  Holy Mother of God in occupied Stepanakert. "The destruction of the  church is a manifestation of the anti-Armenian policy pursued by  Azerbaijan at the state level. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated  incident, but a continuation of an anti-Armenian policy that dates  back to the Soviet era and was further escalated by the ethnic  cleansing in Artsakh in 2023. This incident is also a gross violation  of Azerbaijan's international legal obligations. Azerbaijan is  obligated to ensure the preservation of all historical and cultural  monuments under its jurisdiction, including Armenian cultural  heritage," the People's Democratic Party emphasized.

The political party was quick to point out that the International  Court of Justice's December 7, 2017, ruling in the case of Armenia v.  Azerbaijan, has obliged Azerbaijan to take all necessary measures to  prevent and punish vandalism and desecration of Armenian cultural  heritage, including churches, religious buildings, monuments, and  cemeteries, within the framework of the International Convention on  the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. This ruling,  in accordance with Article 94 of the UN Charter, is subject to  mandatory enforcement. "The destruction of the church in 2026 is a  direct and ongoing violation of the aforementioned commitments. This  is not a matter of political or diplomatic differences, but a  violation assessed under international law. Furthermore, Azerbaijan  is also violating the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of  Cultural Heritage, which operates within the framework of UNESCO, as  well as the 1972 Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural  and Natural Heritage.

Under these circumstances, hosting a delegation led by a high-ranking  official of a state that is committing criminal acts in Armenia can  be perceived as a disregard for its own statehood and sovereignty, as  well as a devaluation of the decisions of the International Court of  Justice," the party's statement continued.

In this regard, the PDP called on the Armenian Apostolic Church and  the Mother See of Etchmiadzin to continue documenting the destruction  of Armenian cultural heritage and ensure the transfer of these  materials to relevant international structures, including the  International Court of Justice, UNESCO, and human rights  organizations.

The People's Democratic Party also called on the citizens of the  Republic of Armenia to remember that the parliamentary elections on  June 7, 2026, are also a choice of values: who is willing to  consistently defend the Armenian Apostolic heritage in the face of  Azerbaijan's targeted destruction, and who is willing to ignore these  realities. "Faith, Homeland, Sovereignty. Armenia is not subject to  negotiation," the political party concluded.