STRASBURG (FRANCE) - Speaking at an official conference on Thursday, April
6th, the President of the European Parliament was joined by the leaders of its
political parties in strongly approving the body's decision to send a delegation
in Djulfa, in the Nakhichevan region of Azerbaijan.

The aim of the mission is to investigate the destruction by Azerbaijan of the
Armenian cemetery in Djulfa, a treasure of world architectural heritage that was
effectively destroyed and replaced by an Azerbaijani military facility.

The EP leaders unanimously decided to entrust this mission to the Commission on
EU-Armenia parliamentary cooperation rather than to an ad-hoc delegation, as it
had initially been planned.

The mission is being sent in accordance with the Parliament's resolution "on
cultural heritage in Azerbaijan," which was adopted in February of 2006
(P6_TA(2006)0069). This measure "demands that Azerbaijan allow missions,
including experts working with ICOMOS, who are dedicated to surveying and
protecting archaeological heritage, in particular Armenian heritage, onto its
territory, and that it also allow a European Parliament delegation to visit the
archaeological site at Djulfa."

The delegation will be composed of ten Members of the European Parliament (MEP)
who are members of the Commission of EU-Armenia parliamentary cooperation group.
They are set to travel to Djulfa as part of their trip to Armenia from April
17th to 21st. Prior to travelling to Djulfa, they will need to get the necessary
authorisations from the Azerbaijani authorities, the same authorities
responsible for the desecration of the cemetery.

The delegation will include the following MEPs:

Mme Marie-Anne Isler-Béguin, présidente (Verts, France)

M. Arpad Duka-Zolyomi, vice-président (PPE, Slovaquie)

M. Alessandro Battilocchio (NI, Italie)

M. Johannes Blokand (IND/DEM, Pays-Bas)

Mme Frederika Brepoels (PPE, Belgique)

M. Robert Evans (PSE, R.-U.)

Mme Siiri Oviir (ALDE, Estonie)

Mme Gabriele Stauer (PPE, Allemagne)

M. Hannes Swoboda (PSE, Autriche)

M. Tadeusz Zwiefka (PPE, Pologne)