AZE.US
Azerbaijan is prepared to support efforts to restore historical monuments in present-day Armenia if the necessary conditions are created, Azerbaijani lawmaker Fazil Mustafa said.
Mustafa made the remarks at a conference titled “Protection of Historical and Religious Monuments: Challenges and Prospects,” jointly organized by Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Culture and the State Committee for Work with Religious Associations.
According to the lawmaker, practical cooperation on the issue could become possible after Azerbaijan and Armenia sign a peace agreement.
“If an opportunity is created regarding Western Azerbaijan, we are ready to take the initiative and do whatever is necessary to restore monuments in the territory of present-day Armenia. After the peace agreement is signed, we will also contribute to restoring the monuments there,” Mustafa said.
The term “Western Azerbaijan” is used in Azerbaijan to refer to areas in present-day Armenia historically inhabited by Azerbaijanis.
Mustafa said restoration should extend beyond rebuilding structures or reproducing their previous appearance. In his view, it should also preserve the historical memory connected with the sites and give them renewed value as tourist destinations.
“By restoring these monuments, we are not only expressing respect for our own society, but also enabling others to approach them as tourist sites,” he said.
The lawmaker added that Azerbaijan applies the same approach to historical and religious monuments regardless of their religious affiliation.
“We restore all historical monuments – churches, mosques and synagogues – with the same multicultural and humanistic approach. Historical and religious monuments in Azerbaijan are not viewed through an ethnic lens,” Mustafa said.
He also pointed to Azerbaijan’s contributions to the restoration of historical and religious sites in Europe, including projects in France and at the Vatican.
AZE.US