Geghard Foundation: Any state that  supports Aliyev`s rhetoric  complicit with Azerbaijan in the event of future aggression in the  region

ArmInfo. On July 3-4, the 17th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) was held  in Stepanakert,  occupied by Azerbaijan. Ilham Aliyev  used this platform  to voice false accusations and unfounded demands against Armenia, as noted in a message received by ArmInfo from the Geghard Scientific-Analytical Foundation.

The Foundation clarified that Aliyev brought the leaders of ECO  member states to occupied Stepanakert to legitimize his anti-Armenian  speech in their presence. "Following the complete depopulation of  Artsakh's Armenian population, Azerbaijan's policy centers on the  attempt to rewrite history based on distorted and manipulative  narratives," the foundation emphasized. 

According to Geghard, half of the Azerbaijani president's speech was  dedicated to accusations against Armenia. Specifically, Aliyev  claimed that Armenia had allegedly destroyed cities and villages of  Artsakh, as well as its cultural and religious monuments. "He claimed  that 65 of the 67 mosques in Artsakh were allegedly leveled to the  ground, while the remaining two damaged and used as stables. Aliyev  added a dangerous tone to these unfounded accusations by stating   that this indicates "disrespect toward the Islamic religion and the  world's Muslims." He also stated that the Armenians looted and  transported tombstones of Azerbaijanis to Armenia, and a state  commission established by Azerbaijan has " assessed" the damage  caused by Armenia at 150 billion US dollars," the report says.

In this vein, the Geghard Foundation asks the question: which  international organizations  and when have recorded the acts of   "vandalism" that Baku repeatedly talks about. In this regard, the  organization recalled the exact opposite has been documented by a  number of international structures and monitoring  missions.   "Caucasus Heritage Watch, based on satellite imagery, has documented  the destruction of Armenian cultural and religious heritage in the  territory of Artsakh. In a report published in June 2024, the  organization recorded a 75% increase in the loss of Armenian  churches, monasteries, cemeteries, khachkars (cross-stones), and  other cultural sites.  The 2025  report of the US Commission on  International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) highlighted that Azerbaijan  is pursuing a systematic policy aimed at erasing the Armenian  religious and cultural heritage of Artsakh.  UNESCO  expressed  concern over the numerous reports it has received regarding the  destruction of Armenian cultural heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh. The  organization has attempted to send a mission to Artsakh to assess the  state of cultural heritage on the ground; however, Azerbaijan has  refused to grant access so far," the Geghard Foundation added.

 It is further noted that in his speech, Aliyev also addressed the  so-called "Western Azerbaijanis", stating the need to ensure the   right  of return. "The states participating in the Stepanakert summit  - Azerbaijan, Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan,  Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, as well as Iran,  are also  members of the OIC. They unanimously voted in favor  of the  above-mentioned resolutions.  In this context, it should be recalled  that Stepanakert, an indigenous Armenian city, was occupied only two  years ago as a result of military operations carried out by  Azerbaijan," the statement said.

The Foundation pointed out that the leaders and representatives of  these states must clearly recognize that Stepanakert has been and  remains a historic Armenian city, whose depopulation the result of  Azerbaijan's aggressive policy and ethnic cleansing. The fund also  noted that the so-called  "Western Azerbaijan Community" is an  artificial narrative to put pressure on Armenia. "The calls for a  so-called 'right of return' are not rooted in legal principles, but  represent a threat intended to undermine regional security and  stability. Therefore, any state that participate in such initiatives,  votes in favor of such resolutions, or support Aliyev's rhetoric,  become complicit with Azerbaijan in the event of future aggression in  the region," Geghard concluded.