ArmInfo. "The policy of xenophobia and intolerance pursued by some countries continues to impede the peaceful resolution of protracted conflicts, one of which is Azerbaijan, which, instead of directing all efforts towards a peaceful settlement of the conflict with Nagorno-Karabakh, chose the language of force, militaristic and xenophobic rhetoric," "Ara Babloyan, Chairman of the National Assembly of Armenia, said at the session of the Assembly of the Inter- Parliamentary Union in St. Petersburg.
He stressed that Baku rejects the proposals of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs - Russia, France and the US, refuses to implement confidence-building measures, fomenting anti-Armenian hysteria in their country and in every possible way tries to impart inter-ethnic and inter religious character to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "But the essence of the conflict is absolutely different, in the peaceful aspiration of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh to self-determination," Babloyan said, quoting M. Gandhi saying: "Intolerance in itself is a form of violence and hinders the growth of the true spirit of democracy."
Speaking about the geopolitical situation in the world as a whole, Babloyan stressed that Armenia is extremely concerned about the fate of Armenian and other national and religious minorities in the Middle East and, especially, in Syria. "The crimes committed by terrorists in this region on national and religious grounds do not spare our compatriots, Armenians who, from time immemorial, are an integral part of the multi-ethnic, multi-cultural canvas of the Middle East." Armenia accepted more than twenty thousand refugees from Syria alone, the third country in Europe by the number of Syrian refugees per capita taken in. We also try to reach out to those who need it in Syria, Unfortunately, today we continue to witness the destruction by the fundamentalists of Christian, Buddhist and Islamic monuments in different countries. "Recently, in Syria, the Armenian Church of the 15th century, the Forty Martyrs, was blown up by terrorists," Babloyan said.
In this regard, the depressing situation in neighboring Azerbaijan, where the unique Armenian cultural and spiritual heritage was destroyed, destroyed many monasteries, churches, ancient cemeteries, unique cross stones and other shrines. "A similar situation prevails in Turkey, where the centuries-old Armenian heritage was systematically and consistently destroyed," the Armenian speaker summed up.