Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct. 13 / Trend U.Sadikhova /
Egypt condemns destruction of any monuments, whether they are in Azerbaijan, Jerusalem or other countries, as Cairo follows the principles to preserve human civilization's cultural heritage, Head of the National Library and Archives of Egypt, Muhammad Saber Arab, told Trend in Baku on Oct.13.
Cultural and historical monuments are the heritage of all mankind. When they become the object of attacks, it can be considered as an aggression, Saber Arab said.
Egypt knows much about the culture of Azerbaijan and its contribution to the development of the Islamic cultural values. "We know what Azerbaijan gave to mankind," Saber Arab added.
A total of 689 monuments, including 13 (six architectural and seven archaeological ones) have world significance, 242 (117 architectural and seven archaeological ones) - state significance and 434 (373 architectural and 23 archaeological monuments, 21 - gardens, parks, monumental memorials, 17 works of applied art) of local significance are located in Azerbaijani occupied territories.
Armenia has occupied 20% of Azerbaijan's territory - Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. The occupation began in 1988. Azerbaijan lost the Nagorno-Karabakh, except of Shusha and Khojali, in December 1991. In 1992-93, Armenian Armed Forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and Nagorno-Karabakh's seven surrounding regions. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful, but fruitless negotiations.
Muhammad Saber Arab heads the Egyptian delegation at the sixth conference of the Islamic countries' culture ministers in Baku which is to end on Oct.15
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