Surprised by the BBC's revealing report, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry was quick to comment by making the most absurd statements which at the same time demonstrate the essence of Azerbaijan's attitude towards Armenian cultural monuments in connection with the destruction of the Armenian Church in Jrakan (Jabrayil), Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), news.am informs.
Azerbaijan MFA "explains" destruction of Armenian church in Jabrayil
STEPANAKERT, MARCH 26 , ARTSAKHPRESS: “On 25 March 2021, BBC News reported on the alleged ‘disappearance of an Armenian church’ in the Azerbaijani town of Jabrayil. We take such allegations seriously, but strongly refute claims by the Armenian National Commission for UNESCO that any ‘cultural crime’ was committed.
The Republic of Azerbaijan has repeatedly affirmed its commitment to protecting culture and religious diversity, and it remains unchanged.
The alleged ‘disappearance’ must be put in context. The chapel in question was unlawfully constructed during Armenia’s nearly thirty-year occupation of land that is internationally recognized as Azerbaijan, and that was solely populated by ethnic Azerbaijanis prior to the unlawful occupation in 1993,” the Azerbaijani MFA’s respective statement reads.
“In 2017, following the Republic of Azerbaijan’s appeals to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Co-Chairs from the OSCE Minsk Group agreed to visit the chapel in Jabrayil. The Republic of Azerbaijan raised grave concerns that the Armenian forces were altering the demographic, cultural and physical character of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
Following their visit, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs concluded that the chapel had been built as part of a military compound in Jabrayil for use by Armenian soldiers.
The chapel cannot be considered a part of Jabrayil’s cultural history when its construction, reportedly only five years ago, solely served the occupying forces of Armenia,” the statement also reads.
In fact, with this statement, the Azerbaijani MFA has indirectly blamed this incident on the OSCE.
This statement fully fits the Azerbaijani trend to "Albanianize" or destroy Armenian monuments.
By the same logic, tomorrow, for example, the destruction of Amaras or the St. Ghazanchetsots church can be explained by Baku by stating they "cannot be considered a part of cultural history."
