The Armenian spiritual and cultural heritage of Artsakh is at risk, Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, said at meeting with the delegation of Australian State Parliamentarians, headed by the co-chairs of the delegation, Hugh McDermott and Pim James, at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

According to a press release by the Information Center of the Mother See, His Holiness expressed deep concern about the ongoing forced deportation of Artsakh Armenians and the persecution of Armenians by the Azerbaijani authorities.

The Armenian Patriarch also emphasized that the Armenian spiritual and cultural heritage of Artsakh is greatly endangered, mentioning the complete destruction of around 6,000 khachkars (cross-stones) of the centuries-old Armenian cemetery of Nakhichevan by the Azerbaijani authorities in front of the eyes of the whole world.

The Catholicos of All Armenians regretfully referred to the inadequate response of the international community, which gave Azerbaijan a green light to perpetrate its criminal and genocidal policy in Artsakh without hindrance, bypassing all international humanitarian norms.

In turn, the co-chairman of the delegation, Hugh McDermott, thanked the Armenian Patriarch for providing information on the situation around Armenia and Artsakh and emphasized that a complete understanding of the current challenges and expected developments will be useful in their further pro-Armenian activities.