US Ambassador not allowed to visit the Armenian cemetery of Jugha

“Next week Armenian and Azerbaijani archivists will be in the United States on a joint program to learn more about preservation of cultural artifacts. These types of efforts deserve recognition and we will do our best to support any such efforts in the future,” US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Richard Morningstar said. The American diplomat noted that the South Caucasian region has a complicated history.

“Nagorno Karabakh has resulted in the death of thousands of people and seriously changed the structure of the places of historical, religious and cultural importance in the region,” he said, adding that “the United States supports efforts in Azerbaijan and Armenia to protect the historical archives of each other’s communities in their countries.”

Commenting on his recent visit to Nakhijevan, the Ambassador said he regrets that the authorities did not allow him to visit the Armenian cemetery in Old Jugha “because of security reasons.”

“The protection of the region’s heritage is very important for future peace. A lot of monuments have been damaged and destroyed in the region as a result of Nagorno Karabakh conflict,” he said.