Problems of preserving the cultural heritage of Artsakh were raised at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly

On September 22, 2022, at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan delivered a speech, referring to the recent attacks on the sovereign territory of the Republic lauched by Azerbaijan and the difficult situation that arose as a result of those in Armenia. The Prime Minister emphasized that “36 settlements were targeted by the Azerbaijani armed forces in the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia, including Goris, Sisian, Kapan, Jermuk, Vardenis, Tegh, Geghamasar communities. This was not a border clash. It was a direct, undeniable attack against the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Armenia, which was condemned and addressed during the latest UN Security Council meetings and beyond”.

Speaking about the attacks launched by Azerbaijan and the situation that arose in the region as a result of those, the Prime Minister also mentioned the existence of threats and problems of protecting the cultural heritage of Artsakh after the 44-day war, noting in particular: “The post-war rehabilitation of Nagorno-Karabakh, the psycho-social issues of the displaced population, the repatriation of Armenian prisoners-of-war and the preservation of cultural and religious heritage remain on the agenda of our Government… We call to support the secure and unhindered access of UN humanitarian agencies to Nagorno-Karabakh in order to assess the humanitarian, human rights situation and ensure protection of cultural heritage on the ground”.