Your trusted source

The Secretary General of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (I.A.O.) Maximos Charakopoulos, authorized by the I.A.O. International Secretariat,  made a statement on the protection of Christian Monuments in Nagorno-Karabakh.

“The Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy has repeatedly declared the need to safeguard the monuments of world civilization, in the face of decisions and actions that threaten them with destruction or alteration of their character," the statement made during the Assembly's virtual meeting on Wednesday said. It is noted that appropriate respect for every religious monument and sacred place of worship contributes to mutual understanding and mutual respect between religious communities, and ultimately contributes to peaceful coexistence.

It notes that some monuments are completely destroyed in order not to witness the centuries-old presence of other peoples, religions and cultures in these lands. "Such incidents have been recorded in many cases in Kosovo and Metohija, in the occupied parts of the territories of Syria and Iraq and the Turkish-occupied territories of the Republic of Cyprus.

Based on the aforementioned, being representatives of the parliaments of many countries, we deem it necessary every time to express our categorical disagreement to such practices and to call on international organizations and governments to not allow them to take place," said the document. 

The Assembly particularly points to the situation that has developed in the aftermath of the bloody war in Nagorno Karabakh. 

"The Tripartite Declaration, signed on November 9, 2020, resulted in extensive territories with cultural treasures of great religious, historical and artistic value for the ecumenical culture, the Armenian people and the Apostolic Christian Church, now under the administration of Azerbaijan. We believe that these monuments need immediate registration and protection from the international community and the competent international bodies," the Assembly said, adding: "We therefore, call on the UN and UNESCO to contribute to the protection of the cultural wealth and monuments of the Armenian people, now under the administration of Azerbaijan and not to allow changes in their use or destruction. Any dereliction of duty or lack of interest can cause irreparable damage to monuments belonging to all mankind,” the statement read in part.