Asked by: Lord Carey of Clifton (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications of recent developments in the control of the Nagorno–Karabakh region for freedom of religion or belief in Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has been clear that the preservation of sites of religious significance in both Armenia and Azerbaijan is an important issue, and we take seriously reports of the destruction or targeting of such sites. Embassies in Baku and Yerevan have raised this issue with both Armenian and Azerbaijani governments, and we encourage both to ensure that freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) is protected in their countries. We will continue to uphold the right to FoRB through our position at the UN, G7 and other multilateral fora, and through our bilateral work.