Today.Az » Politics » Azeri amb gives grounded answer to pro-Armenian congressmen
13 January 2006 [16:35] - Today.Az
Hafiz Pashayev, the Azerbaijani Ambassador to the United States, gave a written answer to ill-natured statements by the co-chairmen of a working group of the Congress on Armenian issues, John Nolenberg and Frank Pollone.

As Trend reports, publicizing a letter last month with a absurd theory the co-chairmen urged that as though the Azerbaijani government willfully destroys the gravestones at the medieval Armenian cemetery in Julfa District of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. In their statements the Armenians grounded on the video clips taken by the Armenians.

Pashayev voiced his regret in connection with the unchecked information sources which the US Congressmen referred. The Ambassador noted that the frames which are taken as basis for anti-Azerbaijani statements display a destruction of some tombstones of medium size by unknown people. There was no picture of crest and no signs on the nationality of the people destroying the monuments. “Such ‘truthful’ frames can be used against any of the sides, “the diplomat stressed, reminding that the Defense Ministry rejected officially such accusations.

The diplomat reminded that over millenniums Azerbaijan has been a society based on the wealthy and historical heritage. “Today approximately 30,000 Armenian reside in Azerbaijan. Our country attaches great importance to the preservation of thousand historical, cultural, and architectural monuments. Armenia has changed to a constituent part of its policy the destruction of historic and cultural monuments in the occupied territory of Azerbaijan. The OSCE mission investigating the illegal settlement Armenians in the Azerbaijani also asserted the fact the diplomat said that Armenia has numerously put forward groundless accusations in an effort to distract the attention from the blood-shed in the Azerbaijani territory.

In his appeal to the Congressmen the Azerbaijani Ambassador noted that he shares the concerns on the preservation of the monument of historic and culture heritage and hopes that the facts on the Armenians’ destroying brutality will concern excite interests. Pashayev cited some facts in his letter. As a result of durable policy pursued by Armenia in the direction of destruction of historic and culture monuments belonging to Azerbaijan, 1587 mosques and 23 madrasahs were destroyed in the Irevan Khanate, 830 mosques and 1394 madrasahs in Zengezur and Echmiedzin, over 500 Azerbaijani cemeteries were destructed or transformed to stores in the territory of Armenia.

The History Museum of Kelbajar [one of the Azerbaijani districts under the Armenian occupation] and all exponents kept here, the History Museums of Shusha, Agdam, the Museum of Stone Monuments in Zangazur were destroyed. As a result of the Armenian barbarism, a monument belonging to the Bronze period in Khojali, as well as valuable books and manuscripts in the occupied territory were stolen. 969 libraries, 85 childish musical schools, 4 theaters, 4 art galleries, 2 concerts halls, 1852 culture and art centers were destroyed.

The Ambassador is currently pending the Congressmen’s attitude towards the facts.



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