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Armenia once again openly demonstrates its vandalism policy - Azerbaijan National Commission for UNESCO

Politics Materials 11 October 2020 17:58 (UTC +04:00)
Armenia once again openly demonstrates its vandalism policy - Azerbaijan National Commission for UNESCO

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Oct. 11

Trend:

Armenia pursues a policy of cultural cleansing in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, deliberately destroying the country's historical and cultural heritage, a source in the National Commission of Azerbaijan for UNESCO told Trend.

It was noted that the illegal activities of Armenia against the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Azerbaijan, in particular the targeting, misappropriation, and alteration of the features of historical monuments, is a gross violation of a number of UNESCO Conventions, as well as The Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict from 1954 and the Protocols thereto, the 1972 International Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, the 1952 Universal Copyright Convention, the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and other international legal instruments.

Along with the brutal destruction of cultural, historical, and religious monuments by Armenia in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, they are being Armenianized under the guise of "restoration". An example is the "repair work" carried out by Armenia in the Yukhari Govhar Agha Mosque and the Shusha fortress, which are considered the main symbols of the ancient Azerbaijani city of Shusha. Both samples of cultural heritage were included in the Tentative List of World Heritage from Azerbaijan under the name "Shushi Historical and Architectural Reserve" in 2001. The cultural cleansing policy pursued by Armenia contradicts the 1972 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. In this regard, the Azerbaijani side regularly raises a question with the leadership of UNESCO about taking appropriate measures, the source in the National Commission said.

In this regard, it should be noted that there are facts in connection with the export to Armenia and sale on the black market of samples of the rich material and cultural heritage of the Azerbaijani people discovered as a result of illegal archaeological excavations in the territories of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenia. It should be emphasized that this is contrary to the 1970 UNESCO Convention on Measures to Prohibit and Prevent the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. This is a gross violation of international law by Armenia, including the obligations outlined in the convention, to which Armenia is a party.

It was also outlined that the exposure of the facts of destruction of the cultural and historical heritage of Azerbaijan by Armenia, as well as the prevention of provocations by Armenia, take a special place in the activities of Azerbaijan in various UNESCO committees. The issue of Armenia’s activities contrary to international law is regularly raised by the Azerbaijani side in the relevant UNESCO committees, and a call is made to take measures to prevent this activity of Armenia. Thus, Azerbaijan, as a member state of the Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (2011-2019), the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2018-2022), has constantly kept this issue in the spotlight and regularly continues to take appropriate measures.

It should be noted that the priority for Azerbaijan is also the protection of the country's intangible cultural heritage, which Armenia is trying to appropriate. So, the "Chovgan traditional Karabakh horse-riding game" in 2013 and "Yalli (Kochari, Tenzere), traditional group dances of Nakhchivan" in 2018 were included in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in need of urgent protection. Azerbaijan, as a responsible and reliable partner of UNESCO, attaches particular importance to the implementation of international conventions. The “Protection of cultural property: military manual”, prepared by UNESCO with the support of Azerbaijan in 2016, has been recognized by international organizations as an important contribution to the protection of cultural heritage during armed conflicts.

It was also outlined that the armed forces of Armenia, starting from October 4, 2020, by order of the military-political leadership of Armenia, fired from heavy artillery at Ganja, the second largest city of Azerbaijan and the center of ancient history and culture. As a result, the historical monument, which is under state protection (Inv. No 3838), was seriously damaged. By launching missile strikes on Ganja, the ancient historical and cultural center of Azerbaijan, targeting the cultural heritage and world values ​​of the Turkic world, Armenia once again openly demonstrated its policy of vandalism, which has been continuing for many years.

The National Commission of Azerbaijan for UNESCO said that there are 195 immovable historical and cultural monuments in Ganja, taken for state registration. Located on the Great Silk Road, Ganja has been known for centuries as a center of culture and science, is the city where such outstanding personalities as the great Azerbaijani poet and thinker Nizami Ganjavi, the poet Mehseti Ganjavi, whose 900th anniversary in 2013 was celebrated at the UNESCO level, and on September 23, 2020, Ganja was elected a member of the UNESCO Global Learning Cities Network.

"Raising the issue of protecting the cultural heritage of the Turkic world in international organizations, including at the meetings of the national commissions and committees for UNESCO of the TURKSOY member states, our country constantly calls for joint efforts to protect the monuments of the Turkic world," the Commission said.

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