Azerbaijan is pro an unbiased assessment of the cultural and historical monuments in the occupied territories of the country. “Azerbaijan will never ignore proposals from international organizations, including the Council of Europe. Each proposal must meet Azerbaijan’s view and interests. And any mission must objectively approach assessing the state of the cultural and historical monuments,” Head of the Azerbaijani delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Samad Seyidov, told journalists on Aug. 25.

Seyidov said that the CE Committee of Culture and the Committee of Ministers had discussed the status of the cultural and historical monuments in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. “All international organizations recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as Azerbaijan’s territory. And the international mission in the occupied territories must pass through Azerbaijani territory,” said Seyidov.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are currently holding the peace negotiations.