UNESCO makes decision to protect cultural property in occupied territories

A decision was made at the seventh session of UNESCO's Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict in Paris today to protect cultural valuables in occupied territories, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said today.

The decision reflects a commitment to submit a report on the protection of cultural valuables in occupied territories written by the occupying powers, as well as the ability to send technical missions to the territory under occupation.

According to the decision, the secretariat must prepare a detailed report on the agreement's implementation in 2013 as reflected in The Hague Convention and its Second Protocol which calls for the protection of cultural property in occupied territories and the submission of a report to the committee.

A document adopted by the committee laid the foundation for broader discussion on the protection of cultural valuables in occupied Azerbaijani territory and it created specific mechanisms for dealing with the issue.