Azernews.Az

By Trend

Tthe Armenians, as it is known, regularly raise the question at UNESCO in connection with the destruction of Armenian khachkars in Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Azerbaijani MP Jeyhun Mammadov told Trend.

“These days they are trying to raise this issue again,” Mammadov added. “These claims are absurd and groundless. The Armenians themselves demonstrate blatant disregard towards the Azerbaijani monuments.”

“The Armenians destroyed all our religious monuments, temples and mosques, as well as our cemeteries on the territories of Iravan, Zangezur and Karabakh provinces,” the MP said.

“The destruction of our historical monuments, temples, mosques, cemeteries is an integral part of Armenia's vandalism policy,” the MP added. “Hundreds of our significant monuments located on these lands were destroyed. All this proves once again that inhumanity and vandalism are a priority in Armenia’s policy.”

“We regularly witness that Armenia changes the names of historical monuments belonging to Azerbaijan, destroys historical house-museums of famous representatives of the Azerbaijani intelligentsia, Azerbaijani poets and writers, our museums and also commits other similar atrocities,” Mammadov said.

“From time to time, some Armenian citizens, human rights defenders, as well as activists distribute video footages, photographs and information about these actions,” the MP said. “If we create a commission and inspect what has been done with our historical monuments on Armenia's territory, we will see that a lot more has been destroyed or looted or disrespected to the point that we can't imagine."

Mammadov repeated that the information about the destruction of Armenian khachkars is groundless.

“The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, the State Committee on Work with Diaspora, as well as the Azerbaijanis living abroad must work consistently, and by exposing Armenian lies, show the world that such acts of vandalism and atrocities are committed by Armenians.”

"There is an Armenian church in the center of the capital of Azerbaijan – Baku,” the MP said. “The church and about 5,000 books and manuscripts there are protected by the state.”

He went on to add that not just Azerbaijani but also ancient Caucasus Albanian monuments were destroyed.

"They destroyed what they could, the rest was either moved to other territories or misappropriated," he said.

“The indifference of the world community, encourages Armenians to continue such actions and commit new crimes, and they continue to do so,” the MP said. “Of course, this is unacceptable and completely contradicts the international law, The Hague conventions and other international conventions."

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