Shameless Denial Continues with UNESCO's Silence 
Jan 7, 2006

Despite rolling protests from around the world, UNESCO has not yet addressed
the recent destruction of the Armenian khachkars (headstones) of Old Julfa. 
 

(I-Newswire) - The administration of www.genocide.com was shocked with the
comments of Azerbaijani academician Dr. Vali Bakhshaliyev, who, while
commenting on the recent destruction of the headstones of Julfa's ancient
graveyard, shamelessly denied the existence of that medieval Christian
cemetery.  Mr. Bakhshaliyev, indeed, went far ahead in his fabrications than
the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the UN. The latter
"simply" stated that the evidence about the destruction of Old Julfa ( Hin
Jugha ) is "totally unfounded." 

The website of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Azerbaijan -
www.azerbaijan-un-geneva.az- published "Press-guidance" on 4 January 2006,
denying the destruction of the ancient Armenian monuments of Old Julfa. The
"guidance" informs in a common Soviet style, "the Republic of Azerbaijan has
been always keen on preserving, in its entirety and regardless of its roots
and origin, its cultural and historical heritage." 

The Christian cemetery of Julfa, as stated in a letter of the American
congressmen Joe Knollenberg and Frank Pallone, Jr. to the Azerbaijani
Ambassador, "is known to specialists to have housed as many as 10,000 of
these intricately carved khachkar headstones, up to 2,000 of which were
still intact after an earlier outbreak of vandalism on the same site in
2002." Steven Sim from Scotland, who visited the ruins of the Armenian holy
places in Nakichevan, affirmed in 2005: "a special state policy of
destruction is being implemented in Azerbaijan."

Photographs from the mid-December ( 2005 ) destruction of Old Julfa are
available at http://www.armenica.org/history/old-jougha/index.html and
http://www.cathcil.org/v04/doc/Photos/Pictures109.htm . The video, taped by
the Armenian Prelacy of Iran at the Iranian-Azerbaijani border and made
available by www.Blogian.cjb.net , can be downloaded from
www.azerivandalism.cjb.net ; the same video ( clearer view, but larger file
) is also available at www.julfa.cjb.net .

Despite rolling protests from around the world, UNESCO has not yet addressed
the recent destruction of the Armenian khachkars ( headstones ) of Old
Julfa. Shameless denial continues with UNESCO's shameless silence. 
 

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