YEREVAN. – All physical pressure is preceded by cultural genocide, Chairman Ashot Grigoryan of the Forum of Armenian Associations of Europe stated during a press conference on Tuesday. 

“We continue our fight for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, and we also are fighting at UNESCO, in the matter of destruction of the cross-stones of the [Armenian] cemetery of Old Jugha [Julfa, in Nakhichevan, Azerbaijan]. 

“Azerbaijan paid $1.5 million to UNESCO, and we will [launch a] protest to Director-General Irina Bokova of this organization,” Grigoryan said.

The expert also stressed that they issued a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, with a request to set up a UNESCO commission and, within the scope of whose activities, the Azerbaijanis’ destruction of 10,000 Armenian cross-stone-monuments is aimed to be recognized.    

“The British Museum is another matter. Armenian exhibits are displayed there, [but] with the inscription: ‘Ancient Turkey,’” Ashot Grigoryan noted. 

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am