Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report that the Azerbaijani military blocked Russian peacekeepers accompanying Armenian pilgrims to the Dadivank Monastery in Nagorno-Karabakh, what representations they have made to the governments of (1) Azerbaijan, and (2) Russia, to ensure the continued rights of Armenians to practise their religion in sites located in the territory ceded to Azerbaijan.

The Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas has emphasised to both the Armenian and Azerbaijani Governments the importance of protecting all cultural heritage sites. The UK Ambassador to Azerbaijan has also raised this issue with representatives of the Azerbaijani Government. While we have not discussed this specific issue with the government of Russia, we continue to underline our support for the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group in reaching a lasting settlement to the conflict and for the important work of international organisations addressing the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas.