POLITICS
Armenia`s destruction of Azerbaijan`s material and cultural heritage is the worst atrocity against all humanity, Hikmat Hajiyev
Baku, March 28, AZERTAC
“The destruction by Armenia of the cultural heritage in the occupied Azerbaijani territories and in the Armenian territory, which is the historical Azerbaijani lands, is the worst atrocity not only against the people of Azerbaijan, but also against all humanity,” said spokesperson of Azerbaijan`s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hikmat Hajiyev as he commented on a statement by representative of the Foreign Minister of Armenia.
Hajiyev noted that Armenia, as a part of its systematic policy of occupation and aggression pursued against Azerbaijan, has been pursuing a policy of committing acts of vandalism, such as destruction, plundering, desecration and embezzlement of cultural heritage of Azerbaijan in the occupied lands.
“The representative of the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in his statement to the media, implicitly recognizes this fact, however trying to conceal the international responsibility of Armenia as an aggressor country”, Hajiyev stressed.
He said that despite this fact the cases of the destruction, plundering and desecration of the material and cultural monuments in the occupied territories were precisely identified.
He emphasized that a total of 1,891 material and cultural monuments in the occupied Azerbaijani territories have been looted and vandalized by Armenia, including 738 historical monuments, 28 museums with 83,500 exhibits, 4 photo galleries, 14 memorial complexes, and 1,107 cultural facilities.
Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, has prepared and already submitted to UNESCO, UN, the Council of Europe, the OIC, ISESCO and other international organizations detailed reports on "Destruction of the historical and cultural heritage belonging to the Islamic religion in Azerbaijan's territories occupied by Armenia” and "Destruction and desecration of the historical and cultural heritage in Azerbaijan's territories occupied by Armenia,” Hajiyev emphasized.
“The OIC regularly adopts resolutions condemning the destruction and desecration of the historical and cultural heritage and temples belonging to the Islamic religion in Azerbaijan’s occupied territories”.
The spokesman described such acts by Armenia as a gross violation of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict adopted and the Convention’s II Protocol adopted in 1999.
Hajiyev noted that Armenia bears international legal responsibility for the acts of vandalism committed against the material and cultural monuments in the seized lands of Azerbaijani.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism will continue through joint efforts, to raise the global awareness of the Armenia’s act of vandalism committed against the historical and cultural heritage of the Azerbaijani people in the occupied Azerbaijani lands and in the territory of Armenia,” Hikmat Hajiyev added.