Zakharova: Moscow supports early organization of UNESCO mission to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone

YEREVAN, May 21. /ARKA/. The official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Maria Zakharova told a press briefing on Friday that Moscow supports the early organization of a UNESCO mission to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. She said this issue is being discussed also within the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs.

She recalled an OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs' April 13 statement that calls for the preservation and protection of religious and cultural heritage in the conflict zone, saying also that this is one of the issues that requires Azerbaijan and Armenia to use additional efforts.

Zakharova made these comments when asked about the removal of the dome of the Armenian Cathedral Surb Kazanchetsots in Shushi by Azerbaijanis after the town fell under their control as a result of last autumn 44-day war.

According to Zakharova, the issue of preservation of the cultural and historical heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent regions is regularly discussed in Russia's contacts with official Yerevan and Baku, most recently during Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's visits to Armenia and Azerbaijan in the first half of May. -0-