No:039/22, Comment of the Head of the Press Service Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Leyla Abdullayeva on the statement of the Armenian Foreign Ministry distorting the statement of the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan
We would like to renew the memory of the Armenian Foreign Ministry: Armenia is a country that has been occupying part of Azerbaijan's territory for nearly 30 years, committing large-scale illegal activities in these territories, including urbicide, culturicide, and ecocide.
Armenia has wiped out 9 Azerbaijani cities and hundreds of villages. Historical, cultural, and religious monuments in these areas have been destroyed and looted.
For decades, Armenia has prevented a UNESCO mission from visiting the occupied territories in order to cover up its deliberate destruction. This fact is clearly reflected in the UNESCO activity report published in 2005.
At the same time, Armenia has completely destroyed the cultural heritage of Azerbaijan on the territory of Armenia.
Armenia has violated international law, including humanitarian law, over the past 30 years; it has grossly violated the 1949 Geneva Convention and the 1954 and 1970 UNESCO Conventions.
The results of the above-mentioned vandalism of Armenia have been widely documented and covered by the international media and independent experts.
Against the background of all this, it seems that the Armenian Foreign Ministry intends to cover up its illegal actions by making false extracts from the statement of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Culture.
However, the official body of the neighboring country forgets that, unlike Armenia, Azerbaijan does not discriminate against its historical and cultural heritage on religious and ethnic grounds. Azerbaijan is an example of tolerance and cultural diversity around the world.
We advise the Armenian Foreign Ministry not to put itself in difficult situation by fabricating lies but instead it should try to demonstrate good will and intention.