Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) on Tuesday spearheaded a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, joined by 47 US Representatives, emphasizing the preservation and protection of Armenian cultural, historical, and religious sites in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), while highlighting the ongoing destruction of these vulnerable sites, reported the Armenian Assembly of America.

The letter urged the Administration to "take swift action" and cited Cornell University's Caucasus Heritage Watch (CHW) stating that "Azerbaijan was responsible for the destruction of 98 percent of Armenian cultural heritage sites in the Nakhchivan exclave between 1997 and 2011...with the Azerbaijan military offensive against Artsakh in September 2023, there is already evidence Azerbaijan is continuing its strategy of erasing Armenian culture within and around this region as well."

The letter highlighted Azerbaijan's recent reconstruction of the St. John the Baptist Church, (also known as Kanach Zham/Green Church) located in Shushi as "an example of the quiet destruction of sites that have significant value to Armenians...these activities are not benign and ultimately result in the erasure of Armenian culture and a systematic cleansing of the region of its historic Armenian roots."

The letter concluded with requesting the Department of State "do more to prevent Azerbaijan's actions" and to raise these concerns when the Administration meets with Azerbaijani officials.

"We urge the Department of State to ensure that all U.S. diplomats prioritize this issue by raising the destruction of Armenian cultural heritage at every meeting with officials at all levels of the government of Azerbaijan...it is vital that the Administration calls for an immediate cessation of Azerbaijani activities that would eradicate the rich history and culture of the Armenian people. These sites must be protected."