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ANCA: Bryza Efforts on Djulfa "Far too Little, Five Years too Late"

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  • ANCA: Bryza Efforts on Djulfa "Far too Little, Five Years too Late"

    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
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