Azerbaijan Aims to Erase Armenian Presence in the Region, Says Margaryan

The destruction of Armenian cultural monuments by Azerbaijan is part of a systematic policy to eliminate Armenian presence in the region. This was stated by the Permanent Representative of Armenia to the UN, Mher Margaryan, during a thematic discussion held under the UN Security Council framework titled “Protection of Cultural Heritage during Armed Conflicts.”

The information was reported by the Facebook page of Armenia's permanent mission to the UN.

The ambassador emphasized that earlier transgressions against Armenian cultural heritage by Azerbaijan are also documented, citing the destruction of medieval Armenian churches and more than 5,000 khachkars in Nakhichevan.

“Participants of the discussion were also reminded of the urgent measures adopted by the International Court of Justice in December 2021, based on Armenia’s application, which obligates Azerbaijan to 'take all necessary measures to prevent and penalize acts of vandalism and desecration,'” the statement noted.

The Permanent Representative of Armenia stressed that Armenia has continuously called on UNESCO to send a fact-finding mission to Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas, while Azerbaijan has persistently obstructed the efforts of international organizations to provide an independent and impartial assessment of the situation on the ground.