We Cannot Return Khachkars in Nakhichevan, but Can Try to Save What Remained

There are no monuments of Azerbaijani culture in Armenia. On the whole, the concept «an Azerbaijani monument» is not used by the historical science. On the territory of Armenia there are Muslim architecture monuments dating back to 17-19 centuries. The largest out of these is the Blue Mosque in Yerevan, which operates for Iranian people living in Armenia. There is another mosque in Agarak, which is dilapidated. Works are carried out there to specify the time it was built. There were many mosques and burial places on the territory of Armenia - almost all of these were demolished during the soviet rule. By the way, Christian temples shared their fate.

Azerbaijanis' statements that Azeri monuments are destroyed on the territory of Armenia are a lie - at that a deliberate one. They know very well that they lie to their own people, however that is the way their propaganda machine works. If they say it as they do not know history, the worse for Azeri historians and political scientists. If we pay attention to every ignorant statement of Azerbaijan's historians, we will be putting ourselves on the same level with them.

Destruction of the Armenian cemetery in Old Julfa (Nakhichevan) is quite comprehensible from the point of view of Azeri historians. They are now trying to revise the history and prove that Armenians did not live for centuries on territories seized by them. Systematic destruction of the material culture only shows the degree of civilization of the Azeri people. Armenians never destroyed monuments of other peoples that lived or live in Armenia. There are no diplomatic relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as Turkey, thus we can influence these countries only via international organizations. At present we are forming an information database over Old Julfa to submit it to the European Parliament. Khachkars, naturally, cannot be returned, however we can try to save what is left - churches, other evidence of aboriginal settlement of Armenians on Nakhichevan territory.

There are 24 143 historical and cultural monuments on the territory of Armenia at present and they are described, examined and protected by the state. New monuments add to the already registered monuments each year. Our Agency works to study and describe monuments not only in Armenia, but also abroad, especially in countries bordering Armenia. The latest forum of the ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) in Beijing in 2005 adopted a resolution on restoration of the temple on Akhtamar Island in Turkey. According to the rules, Armenian restorers and architects should take part in the restoration works. However, as we do not have diplomatic relations with Turkey, the Armenian party addressed the UNESCO for assistance and, as you know, we were on Akhtamar a few times. The works are suspended now and it is not clear when they will resume.

The Nagorno Karabakh Republic has an Agency for Preservation of Historical Monuments and the Armenian Agency cooperates with it and helps it. The NKR is a normal state with all attributes. There are monuments of Muslim culture and cemeteries that no one destroyed. Our colleagues from NK ask the Agency to identify or describe some monuments rather frequently.