Azerbaijan Delays UNESCO Mission to Assess Cultural Heritage Status in Artsakh

UNESCO is awaiting a response from Azerbaijan regarding the dispatch of an independent expert mission to assess the status of cultural heritage in Artsakh, but requests directed to the Azerbaijani authorities have yet to meet with success. This information was conveyed in a statement issued by UNESCO.

UNESCO reminded of the obligation to protect cultural heritage in accordance with the 1954 Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, to which both Armenia and Azerbaijan are parties. "Therefore, the Organization has proposed the implementation of an independent expert mission to conduct a preliminary inventory of significant cultural values as a prerequisite for the effective protection of heritage in the region," the statement read.

This proposal has received full support from the co-chairs of the Minsk Group, as well as principled agreement from representatives of both Armenia and Azerbaijan. During meetings at UNESCO on December 10 and 11, 2020, members of the intergovernmental committee for the 1954 Hague Convention welcomed this initiative and confirmed the necessity of a mission to assess the status of cultural heritage in Artsakh and its surroundings. The committee has requested each party to adhere to the terms of the mission.

Since November 20, UNESCO has made proposals and held in-depth consultations aimed at carrying out this mission, which requires the consent of both sides according to the Convention. UNESCO's Assistant Director-General Ernesto Ottonen stated, "We are still only awaiting Azerbaijan's response for UNESCO to send a mission to the area. We have approached the Azerbaijani authorities several times without success. Each passing week complicates the assessment of the condition of cultural values, especially due to the weather expected in the coming weeks. The window of opportunity opened by the ceasefire regime must not close again. Preserving heritage is a crucial condition for establishing lasting peace. Thus, we expect Baku to respond without delay so that the constructive discussions of recent weeks can turn into action."