Acting Foreign Minister Ara Aivazian has said the Holy Savior (Ghazanchetsots) Cathedral in Shushi should remain a place of worship of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Addressing a joint press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Yerevan, Aivazian weighed in on the recent removal of the domes of the Cathedral in the city of Shushi, which came under the control of Azerbaijan during the 44-day war in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

"I must be clear that the Shushi Cathedral, one of the largest Armenian churches, should remain a place of worship of the Armenian Apostolic Church," the top Armenian diplomat said, according to Armtimes.com.

According to him, the protection of historical and cultural heritage is first and foremost about human rights. Aivazian reminded about the United Nations report on the matter, in which Azerbaijan was urged to consult with relevant bodies, including the Armenian Apostolic Church, about how to undertake the reconstruction of the site, after launching targeted attacks on the Cathedral.

Azerbaijan was also supposed to indicate when the site would be safe for services and ceremonies of the Armenian Church to resume.