The 1500-year old cemetery of Julfa, which is situated in the province of Nakhichevan in Azerbaijan, is undisputedly of exceptional historical and cultural value. More than 10000 ‘cross stones’ — elaborately sculpted memorial columns — were recorded there, some of them from the eighth century. Recently, however, many of the monuments in the cemetery have been destroyed by the Azeri authorities.

Regardless of the differences between Azerbaijan and Armenia and given that the cemetery of Julfa is part of our world cultural heritage, what action will the Commission take to help safeguard this monument?