Azerbaijan continues its policy of vandalism and misappropriation - Armenian MP

ArmInfo. Azerbaijan's policy of vandalism to destroy and appropriate the cultural heritage of Artsakh continues. This was written on her Facebook page by Lilit Galstyan, a member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia from the opposition faction "Armenia". She noted that in their "activities" the Azerbaijanis also find international partners, including in the Vatican.

The Vatican-based periodical L'Osservatore Romano recently published an article signed by Rossella Fabiani "The Origins of Christianity in Azerbaijan: In the Footsteps of the Albanian Apostolic Church", in which the author presents Caucasian Albania based on the results of his so- called research and educational visit to Artsakh. Referring to some local researchers, the author of the article disseminates and confirms the hypothesis of the arrival of Armenians to the region, noting that they came to the Azerbaijani lands from Iran and Turkey.  According to another confirmation, the Udis were forcibly converted and became followers of the Apostolic Church by local Armenians.

"During his visit to Azerbaijan, Fabiani was accompanied by Akhundov's student, the "expert" in Albanian culture S. Gadzhiev.  And, naturally, the author makes an unconditional conclusion that in the 13th century, the monastery complexes of Dadivank (Khudavank is used in the article) and Gandzasar (Gendzhasar in the article) are the largest manifestations of Albanian culture and the Albanian church on the territory of Azerbaijan. As you can see, the Azerbaijani policy of eradicating the Armenian trace of Artsakh is acquiring new qualities and manifestations. Sadly, it is true:  Azerbaijan has managed to make the Vatican an unwitting participant in its cultural cleansing and cultural genocide. By the way, in the above-mentioned article, Dadivank is presented as the Albanian Vatican," the MP emphasizes.

She recalled that "L'Osservatore Romano" is the only daily publication of the Vatican, published since 1861. Naturally, the scale of distribution of the publication, as well as the direction of the Azerbaijani propaganda machine are understandable. As a result, the periodical, which belongs to the Catholic Church, has appeared the title "Azerbaijan - the cradle of Christianity".

"It is clear how this is explained in Azerbaijan. The appropriation or destruction of Armenian culture is a priority of the state policy of Azerbaijan.  Mehriban Aliyeva's "mission" to UNESCO is within the framework of these goals. By the way, UNESCO did not send an observer mission to Artsakh, despite many assurances and obligations stipulated by the conventions. And what do the RA MFA and the RA Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports think about this?  Will you tolerate the cultural genocide that followed the ethnic cleansing in Artsakh?  Maybe you will still raise your voice, show minimal political dignity, stand up for the defense of our collective heritage and identity? Not long ago, as part of the 1700th anniversary of Christianity, the Pope visited Armenia, a statue of St.  Narekatsi was erected in the Vatican and a memorial service was held for the victims of the Genocide. However, how justified are the expectations from the government, which instead of the "History of the Armenian People" included in the curriculum "The history of Armenia," the parliamentarian emphasized.