Tweet
Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email. [email protected]
Internet www.anca.org
PRESS RELEASE
April 21, 2011
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian (ANCA)
[email protected] / (202) 775-1918
BRYZA DENIED ACCESS TO DESTROYED DJULFA CEMETERY
-- ANCA: Ambassador Bryza's Effort "Far too Little, Five Years too
Late"
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Embassy in Baku has reported that a
recent attempt by U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Matt Bryza to visit
the ruins of the 1,300 year old Armenian Cemetery in Djulfa,
Nakhichevan was blocked by the same Azerbaijani Government which
orchestrated its desecration some five years ago of this Armenian
cultural and religious site
"Ambassador Bryza's done far too little, five years too late," said
Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA), in response to the U.S. Embassy's
report on his failed bid to honor his commitment to the U.S. Senate
that he would visit the remains of the 7th Century Armenian
religious cemetery, which included thousands of intricate stone-
cross gravestones, known as khatchkars.
"As Deputy Assistant Secretary in 2006, Matt Bryza, despite direct
appeals for his intervention, waited three long months to make his
first public statement regarding Azerbaijan's video-taped act of
cultural desecration, and even then only in response to a
reporter's inquiry at a Yerevan press conference. As a nominee for
the post of Ambassador to Azerbaijan, he chose not to raise this
hateful act of intolerance in his prepared testimony to the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee, and only after repeated questioning by
Senators, pledged to visit this sacred site. As Ambassador, he
waited another three months to attempt to keep this commitment,
only to allow himself to be turned away by the very perpetrators
who so brazenly demolished these historic stone-cross gravestones."
News of the Azerbaijani government's refusal to allow Bryza access
to the historic Armenian cemetery in Djulfa was revealed in a press
release by the U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan, which neither explained
why the American Ambassador was denied entry, nor, what the U.S.
response will be to this most recent example of the Azerbaijani
government's stonewalling. Despite the real-time video of the
cemetery's destruction, detailed satellite imaging confirming the
results of its demolition, and the widespread international
condemnation of this assault on world heritage, the release only
states that the Armenian khatchkars were "reportedly destroyed."
In the release, Amb. Bryza is quoted as stating, in generic terms,
that "the desecration of cultural sites - especially a cemetery -
is a tragedy, which we deplore, regardless of where it happens."
He added that: "The United States continues to call on all parties
to respect such sites and collaborate on their preservation," but
fell short of specifically condemning the Azerbaijani authorities
for either their systematic desecration or their refusal of access
to this cultural site.
Ambassador Bryza's reluctance to speak out forcefully on the
destruction of the Djulfa cemetery in 2005, was the topic of
repeated questions by Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Robert
Menendez (D-NJ) during his 2010 confirmation hearing. During this
confirmation process, he did not commit to investigating the
demolition, although he was asked to do so by Senator Boxer.
Instead, he only stated that he would "visit Djulfa" and publicly
and privately stress the importance of "safeguard[ing] Armenian
religious and cultural sites in Azerbaijan." In response to Senator
Menendez's follow up question, Mr. Bryza pointed to his visits to
Armenian cultural sites in Nagorno Karabagh, which have not been at
risk, as proof that he takes protecting cultural sites seriously.
In December, 2010, President Obama sidestepped Senate concerns and
dual "holds" by Senators Boxer and Menendez and sent Ambassador
Bryza to Azerbaijan through a recess appointment, which requires
Senate approval for him to continue in his position past December,
2011. The Senate has yet to schedule a vote on his nomination.
To learn more about the destruction of the 1,300-year-old historic
Armenian cemetery in Djulfa, watch the independent film "The New
Tears of Araxes" at http://www.djulfa.com/film/.
To view a timeline of the U.S. and international response to the
destruction of Djulfa, visit:
http://www.anca.org/assets/graphics/2011/djulfa_timeline.pdf
To learn more about the ANCA's opposition to the nomination of
Matthew Bryza as U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan, visit:
http://www.anca.org/assets/pdf/misc/BryzaNomination.pdf
#####
From: A. Papazian
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email. [email protected]
Internet www.anca.org
PRESS RELEASE
April 21, 2011
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian (ANCA)
[email protected] / (202) 775-1918
BRYZA DENIED ACCESS TO DESTROYED DJULFA CEMETERY
-- ANCA: Ambassador Bryza's Effort "Far too Little, Five Years too
Late"
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Embassy in Baku has reported that a
recent attempt by U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Matt Bryza to visit
the ruins of the 1,300 year old Armenian Cemetery in Djulfa,
Nakhichevan was blocked by the same Azerbaijani Government which
orchestrated its desecration some five years ago of this Armenian
cultural and religious site
"Ambassador Bryza's done far too little, five years too late," said
Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA), in response to the U.S. Embassy's
report on his failed bid to honor his commitment to the U.S. Senate
that he would visit the remains of the 7th Century Armenian
religious cemetery, which included thousands of intricate stone-
cross gravestones, known as khatchkars.
"As Deputy Assistant Secretary in 2006, Matt Bryza, despite direct
appeals for his intervention, waited three long months to make his
first public statement regarding Azerbaijan's video-taped act of
cultural desecration, and even then only in response to a
reporter's inquiry at a Yerevan press conference. As a nominee for
the post of Ambassador to Azerbaijan, he chose not to raise this
hateful act of intolerance in his prepared testimony to the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee, and only after repeated questioning by
Senators, pledged to visit this sacred site. As Ambassador, he
waited another three months to attempt to keep this commitment,
only to allow himself to be turned away by the very perpetrators
who so brazenly demolished these historic stone-cross gravestones."
News of the Azerbaijani government's refusal to allow Bryza access
to the historic Armenian cemetery in Djulfa was revealed in a press
release by the U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan, which neither explained
why the American Ambassador was denied entry, nor, what the U.S.
response will be to this most recent example of the Azerbaijani
government's stonewalling. Despite the real-time video of the
cemetery's destruction, detailed satellite imaging confirming the
results of its demolition, and the widespread international
condemnation of this assault on world heritage, the release only
states that the Armenian khatchkars were "reportedly destroyed."
In the release, Amb. Bryza is quoted as stating, in generic terms,
that "the desecration of cultural sites - especially a cemetery -
is a tragedy, which we deplore, regardless of where it happens."
He added that: "The United States continues to call on all parties
to respect such sites and collaborate on their preservation," but
fell short of specifically condemning the Azerbaijani authorities
for either their systematic desecration or their refusal of access
to this cultural site.
Ambassador Bryza's reluctance to speak out forcefully on the
destruction of the Djulfa cemetery in 2005, was the topic of
repeated questions by Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Robert
Menendez (D-NJ) during his 2010 confirmation hearing. During this
confirmation process, he did not commit to investigating the
demolition, although he was asked to do so by Senator Boxer.
Instead, he only stated that he would "visit Djulfa" and publicly
and privately stress the importance of "safeguard[ing] Armenian
religious and cultural sites in Azerbaijan." In response to Senator
Menendez's follow up question, Mr. Bryza pointed to his visits to
Armenian cultural sites in Nagorno Karabagh, which have not been at
risk, as proof that he takes protecting cultural sites seriously.
In December, 2010, President Obama sidestepped Senate concerns and
dual "holds" by Senators Boxer and Menendez and sent Ambassador
Bryza to Azerbaijan through a recess appointment, which requires
Senate approval for him to continue in his position past December,
2011. The Senate has yet to schedule a vote on his nomination.
To learn more about the destruction of the 1,300-year-old historic
Armenian cemetery in Djulfa, watch the independent film "The New
Tears of Araxes" at http://www.djulfa.com/film/.
To view a timeline of the U.S. and international response to the
destruction of Djulfa, visit:
http://www.anca.org/assets/graphics/2011/djulfa_timeline.pdf
To learn more about the ANCA's opposition to the nomination of
Matthew Bryza as U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan, visit:
http://www.anca.org/assets/pdf/misc/BryzaNomination.pdf
#####
From: A. Papazian