Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov. 11 / Trend E.Tariverdiyeva /
According to some Armenian media sources the Armenian community of Montreal is funding a so-called reconstruction project of Shusha town in the Armenian occupied region of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani Community of Quebec said in its statement.
"The Shusha town in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan was founded and had been inhabited by Azerbaijanis up until 1992 when it was captured by Armenian armed forces. Since 1992 Armenian nationalists have been trying to deface the cultural heritage of the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan, including Shusha," the statement reads.
This policy is aimed at eradication of Azerbaijani cultural heritage in the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
The so-called reconstruction projects in Shusha and elsewhere in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan is indeed the desire of Armenian nationalists who have conducted ethnic cleansing in those territories, to carry out "cultural" genocide as well.
"It would be relevant if Armenian community in Canada would contribute to the economy of Armenia where according to the statistics of the Gallup Agency 39 % of Armenians would like to move to another country permanently. Regrettably, some members of the Armenian community in Montreal opted for incursion on the territories of a sovereign nation and are acting to deface the cultural heritage of Azerbaijan," the statement reads.
The Azerbaijani Community of Quebec calls on the Governments of Canada and Quebec and whole international community to condemn Armenia's policy of aggression and those irresponsible members of Armenian community in Canada, the statement reads.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.