Bishop of Southwark asks about protection of Armenian cultural heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh

The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answer on 8th May 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked His Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Azerbaijan regarding the protection of Armenian heritage in Nagorno–Karabakh following the recent destruction of the St John the Baptist Church and the Ghazanchetsots cemetery in Shusha, and the nearby village of Karin Tak/Dashalti.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con, Foreign Office): We are clear that the preservation of religious and cultural sites in the region is an important issue and we take seriously reports of the destruction of churches or other sites of religious significance. We are aware of allegations from both Armenia and Azerbaijan that cultural and religious sites have been deliberately damaged over the course of the conflict. British Embassy in Baku have raised the topic of religious and cultural destruction and the need to protect such sites with the Azerbaijani government consistently and at the most senior levels.

Hansard