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The historical-cultural monuments of Artsakh are at risk of deliberate destruction by Azerbaijan, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan told an interview with Le Figaro newspaper. Asked about the results of the meeting with Azerbaijani FM Jeyhun Bayramov mediated by the French FM Jean-Yves Le Drian and OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, Mirzoyan first highlighted the need for resumption of the peace process under the Minsk Group Co-Chairs. 

"The final settlement of the conflict is definitely on the agenda. At this stage, we agreed to move forward through small steps - first of all the release of all prisoners and ensuring the access of international organisations for humanitarian missions, including UNESCO to Nagorno-Karabakh. That is necessary for controlling the state of the Armenian historical-cultural heritage, as historical-cultural monuments of Artsakh are at risk of deliberate destruction by Azerbaijan," Mirzoyan said. 

As an example Mirzoyan recalled the strike of the Shushi Cathedral during the war by Azeri forces. "Around 1,500  historical-cultural monuments and 19,000 museum pieces endangered," said Mirzoyan.