ArmInfo.The proper and guaranteed protection of the Armenian historical, cultural and religious heritage in the territories of Artsakh that have come under Azerbaijani control was among the key issues on the agenda of the meeting of the Armenian National Commission for UNESCO, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia
According to the press service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry, Chairman of the Armenian National Commission to UNESCO, Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazyan, in his speech, recalled that in connection with the Azerbaijani-Turkish aggression and the trilateral statement signed on November 9, along with other humanitarian issues, one of the key tasks remains the proper and guaranteed preservation of the Armenian historical, cultural and religious heritage, as well as the prevention of acts of vandalism and the provision of monitoring mechanisms in the territories of Artsakh that have come under the control of Azerbaijan.
"Thousands of historical, cultural and religious monuments in the territories of Artsakh that have come under the military control of Azerbaijan are under threat of destruction. These monuments, which are tangible evidence of the centuries - old history of the Armenian people in the region, are of great value not only from the point of view of the Armenian, but also the world cultural heritage," Ayvazyan stressed. At the same time, the Minister pointed out the reality of the danger of destroying the Armenian cultural heritage of Artsakh, given the numerous precedents of their deliberate damage by Azerbaijan, the long-standing anti-Armenian policy and the systematic destruction of the Armenian cultural heritage. According to him, the destruction of about 28,000 monuments of the rich Armenian cultural heritage in Nakhichevan also testifies to this.
In his speech, Ayvazyan stressed that since the first days of the Azerbaijani-Turkish aggression, all the necessary work has been done to draw the attention of the international community to the importance of protecting the historical and cultural monuments of Artsakh. Referring to the secondment of the UNESCO mission to Artsakh, the Armenian Foreign Minister stressed that the Armenian side maintains a constructive dialogue with the organization, as well as active efforts are being made by the Director General of UNESCO, who initially announced the need to implement the approved mission in accordance with the Second Protocol to the 1954 Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.
Ayvazyan confirmed the commitment of the Armenian Foreign Ministry to the protection of the historical and cultural heritage of Artsakh.
In turn, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia Vahram Dumanyan spoke about the work carried out by the Department for the protection and protection of monuments and museums of Artsakh, which came under the control of Azerbaijan. Dumanyan stressed that the issue of ensuring the safety and security of Armenian cultural values, which are universal values, is always raised at the relevant international platforms, in contacts with partners. During the meeting, the participants exchanged views on the implementation of the programs included in the agenda of the commission meeting.