Armenia Should Urge International Condemnation of Azeri Barbarism in Nakhichevan

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia should address the International Court of Justice with an appeal to condemn the policy of cultural vandalism - purposeful demolition of the Armenian khachkars and gravestones in Old Julfa - pursued by the Azerbaijan, member of the Pan-Armenian Committee of Protection of Monuments Rafael Hambartsumyan stated at a news conference February 7. According to the historian, the Azeri government has demolished the Armenian monuments of the 10-17th centuries since 1988. In this view Armenian structures keep on appealing to international cultural and other well-known organizations, however nothing has changed so far. Moreover in December 2005 Azeris demolished the Armenian cemetery and threw the khachkars and gravestones into Araks River. "Our task today is to condemn and punish Azerbaijan via the International Court of Justice and urge it to return the fragments of the demolished monuments it their places for restoration," Hambartsumyan said. In his words, history shows that it is impossible to negotiate with a criminal state, especially in case with Azerbaijan. He noted that a commission consisting of Armenian and foreign specialists should be formed. Rafael Hambartsumyan also informed that February 7 a statement will be handed to Armenian President Robert Kocharian for its further reading at the meeting of the Armenian and Azeri leaders February 10 in Paris.