Azerbaijani MFA responds French minister's claims about cultural heritage in Karabakh

Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry's Spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada has responded to French Culture Minister Rima Abdul Malak's claims about cultural heritage in the Karabakh (Garabagh) region of Azerbaijan during her visit to Armenia on October 26, saying this was another predisposition and a biased approach by the French side.

"Azerbaijan is very well aware of its obligations and importance of protection of all the cultural and historical monuments in its territories, and France, as a country who had confiscated the historical and cultural assets belonging to other nations, has no moral ground to raise such claims," Hajizada said.

According to him, the Claims about the endangerment of cultural and historical monuments following the anti-terror measures of Azerbaijan have no ground, which was confirmed recently by two UN missions to the region.

"Unfortunately, neither within its engagement as a mediator in the former Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict nor as an influential country within the UNESCO, France has never raised concerns about the almost complete destruction of historical, cultural and religious monuments by Armenia both in Azerbaijan’s territories and in Armenia.

Moreover, it was Azerbaijan who for almost 30 years has persistently appealed to international organizations with calls to carry out assessment missions to the formerly occupied territories of Azerbaijan and Armenia about deliberate destruction, misappropriation, and alteration of our cultural heritage, as well as illicit removal of cultural properties. Unfortunately, it was not possible due to Armenia’s obstructions. UNESCO itself has also confirmed this fact in its 2005 report.

The cultural heritage situated in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, regardless of its origin, whether secular or religious, reflects the cultural diversity of the people of Azerbaijan, which Azerbaijan values and protects.

Once again, we call on the French side to put an end to interference in Azerbaijan’s internal affairs and such provocative statements," Hajizada noted.