Pashinyan refuses to act on Azerbaijan’s destruction of Armenian churches

Panarmenian.net

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, responding to journalists’ question on why Armenia does not raise the issue of the destruction of Armenian churches by Azerbaijan at international platforms, cited Artsvashen as an example.

“Artsvashen is a sovereign territory of Armenia, and let’s model a situation where, as a result of delimitation, Artsvashen returns under Armenia’s control. And we go there and see that a mosque was built there, say in 2016. What is our reaction, what should we do? And, for example, there may be Armenian citizens who present ownership documents for that land and say it belongs to them,” Pashinyan said, according to Aysor.am .

He noted that such issues must be considered in their full context.

“Our response should be based on the agreements that are recorded on paper and made public. Why do you think there are only journalists in Armenia, including patriotic ones, who raise such issues? There are also journalists in Azerbaijan who raise these questions,” Pashinyan added.

Recently, two churches in Stepanakert were completely demolished one after another: Saint Hakob Church and the city’s main sanctuary, the Holy Mother of God Cathedral.

Speaking about the destruction of the Holy Mother of God Cathedral in Stepanakert, Pashinyan said: “Taking into account our previous experience, I do not think we will make this a subject of international discussion at the state level. This is a situation we must fully and comprehensively understand.”

Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan has sent an official appeal to the U.S. president, members of the Senate and Congress, the Pope, as well as leaders of influential international and church organizations, raising the issue of destruction of Armenian spiritual and cultural heritage in the territories of Artsakh.