Anne Derse Stops Short of Destruction of Armenian Cemetery in Nakhichevan

PanARMENIAN.Net - U.S. Ambassador Designate to Azerbaijan Anne Derse responded to concerns raised by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) regarding Azerbaijan's destruction of the over millennia old Djulfa Armenian cemetery in Nakhichevan, but refrained from pledging any concrete commitment to investigate the matter, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).



Submitting a written response to questions by Sen. Boxer relayed during her May 12th Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing, Derse noted that the Department of State is "urging the relevant Azerbaijani authorities to investigate the allegations of desecration of cultural monuments in Nakhichevan and take appropriate measures to prevent any desecration of cultural monuments. Armenia and Azerbaijan are both members of UNESCO (and OSCE), and Azerbaijan has raised these issues in those organizations. We have encouraged Armenia and Azerbaijan to work with UNESCO to investigate this incident. If I am confirmed, and if such issues arise during my tenure, I will communicate our concerns to the Government of Azerbaijan and pursue appropriate activities in support of U.S. interests."



Sen. Boxer had specifically asked if the Ambassador Designate would "visit the cemetery site and commit [herself] to investigating the demolition of this unique cemetery."



"We want to thank Senator Boxer for raising Azerbaijan's desecration of the Djulfa cemetery with Ambassador Designate Derse," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We were deeply troubled by the silence of the U.S. Embassy on this issue during the tenure of her predecessor, Reno Harnish, and remain hopeful that, despite her evasive response, Anne Derse will prove a more vocal and effective advocate for the core American values of tolerance and respect for cultural heritage. She can start off on the right foot by personally visiting Djulfa during her first month in office."



In December of 2005, approximately 200 Azerbaijani forces were videotaped using sledgehammers to demolish the Armenian cemetery in Djulfa, a sacred site of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The cemetery dates back to the 7th Century and once was home to as many as 10,000 khatchkars (intricately carved stone-crosses). An on-line video of the destruction can be viewed at: