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Anar Karimov: “Statements by UNESCO unfoundedly accusing Azerbaijan cast a shadow over the organization's impartiality"

08 January 2021 11:02 (UTC +04:00)

A meeting in a video format has been held between the Minister of Culture of Azerbaijan Anar Karimov and the UN Resident Coordinator in the Republic of Azerbaijan and UNDP Resident Representative Ghulam M. Isaczai at the request of the latter, the Ministry of Culture told APA.

The discussions on cooperation directions between the ministry and the UN and specialized agencies of the UN.

Mr. Isakzai stressed that Azerbaijan and the United Nations have a long history of close cooperation and that our country supports various UN activities, and expressed confidence that this cooperation will continue in the future in the same spirit.

Minister A. Karimov noted the close cooperation between Azerbaijan and the United Nations in the activities of the Ministry of Culture. President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva have rendered exceptional services to the development of relations with the UN specialized agency UNESCO, noting that our country is always committed to the principles and values of the organization.

The Minister said that the recent incomprehensible statements of UNESCO on sending a mission to the territories liberated from the Armenian occupation disappointed the Azerbaijani side. "However, we stressed the importance of addressing security issues in the liberated areas in order to carry out the mission at the initial stage, especially the demining process and the unfavorable climatic conditions."

Q. Isakzai said that UNESCO also had some contacts with him and asked to clarify the position of the Azerbaijani side on the mission.

A. Karimov has said that Azerbaijan has repeatedly appealed to UNESCO to carry out a mission to monitor the cultural heritage in the occupied territories over the past 30 years: “But, unfortunately, this appeals remained unanswered. UNESCO did not issue a call or statement to Armenia for not allowing this mission. Unfortunately, it should be noted that against the background of the current discussions, the statements made by UNESCO unfoundedly accusing Azerbaijan cast a shadow over the organization's impartiality and impartial approach in accordance with its charter”.