Europa Nostra fully endorses and supports the Resolution adopted by the European Parliament during its plenary meeting on 10 March which “strongly condemns Azerbaijan’s continued policy of erasing and denying the Armenian cultural heritage in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, in violation of international law and the recent decision of the International Court of Justice”. The Resolution was adopted with 635 votes in favour, 2 against and 42 abstentions, demonstrating the strong consensus of the European Parliament about the need to safeguard the endangered heritage in the region.

The European Parliament’s Resolution also “welcomes UNESCO’s proposal to send an independent expert mission and calls for it to be sent without delay” and “stresses that Azerbaijan must grant unhindered access to all cultural heritage sites in order for the mission to draw up an inventory on the ground and to see what has happened to the sites”. The Resolution also “calls on the Governments of Azerbaijan and Armenia, with the support of the international community, to ensure effective investigations into all allegations of violations of international law, including the protection of cultural heritage”.

Europa Nostra remains committed to contribute to the vital goal of the preservation of the rich but seriously endangered cultural heritage in the Nagorno-Karabakh area and once again offers its extensive heritage and civil society expertise and experience to contribute to the due protection of the integrity, authenticity and diversity of the cultural heritage in and around the area of Nagorno-Karabakh, as in other regions of the Caucasus. We are willing to work with all stakeholders concerned to help use cultural heritage (tangible and intangible) as a bridge between various communities and as a vector for (re)building respect, confidence and dialogue as prerequisites for a lasting peace and prosperity in the wider region.

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