Azerbaijan, Baku, July 30 / Trend S. Agayeva /
UNESCO Director-General concerned at the destruction of cultural and historical heritage of Azerbaijan, UNESCO director general Irina Bokova said at a meeting with members of the Azerbaijani National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO, headed by Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, the ministry said.
Director general said that preservation of cultural monuments is a priority for UNESCO.
Stressing the importance attached by Azerbaijan to the cooperation with UNESCO, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister emphasized the successful development of this cooperation in the sphere of protection of cultural and natural heritage and ecology. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister drew the attention of UNESCO director general to the destruction of cultural and historical heritage of Azerbaijan in the occupied territories by Armenia.
At a meeting members of the commission stood for development of cooperation in priority areas.
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 resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the occupied territories.