Genocide is not only the physical extermination of an ethnic, or religious group: it also implies the annihilation of the national and spiritual culture constituting its heritage.
   Throughout their centuries-old history, the Armenian people have erected a wide variety of cultural monuments most of which are currently located on the territory of Armenia, the historical cradle of the Armenians. Due to well-known historical events, the present-day Republic of Armenia includes only about 1/10 of the territory of ancient Armenia, while the rest is part of the territories of neighboring countries: this is the reason why the majority of Armenian historical monuments are located outside the borders of the Republic of Armenia. Its neighbours (Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Iran) have displayed different approaches towards the question of the preservation of the Armenian historical monuments.
   As a result of a state policy of destruction and appropriation that has been implemented in Turkey and Azerbaijan for many decades now, thousands of Armenian monuments (churches, cross-stones (khachkars), gravestones, monastic complexes, lapidary inscriptions, etc.) that were of universal value have been lost forever.
   It is noteworthy that the policy of annihilation is being conducted against those monuments which prove the Armenians' existence in their historical homeland. The Armenian inscriptions and cross-stones that form an integral part of Christian culture are the primary targets of obliteration, followed by churches and monasteries, while the bridges, springs, castles and public buildings remain nearly undamaged because the Turks think it is not difficult to present them as Turkish ones. Thus, 7 medieval churches once standing in Van and 5 monasteries located in its vicinity have been levelled with the ground, whereas the Armenian churches of Constantinople (Istanbul) have been preserved since they do not cause any political trouble.
   Unfortunately, the same is true of the Armenian historical monuments situated in the territory of Georgia: in the recent years, they have appeared in an inconsolable state, being subject to unprecedented destruction and arrogation.
   In the aftermath of the "reconstruction" numerous Armenian monuments underwent in the aforementioned countries, they have been deprived of all the features proving their Armenian origin.
   It is necessary to point out that the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) takes proper care of the local Armenian monuments: an eloquent proof of this is the suggestion of IRI Monuments Preservation Board that St. Thaddaeus the Apostle's Monastery should be included in the list of the monuments under UNESCO protection (in its World Heritage List) together with five others.
   Doomed from its very beginning, the annihilation of the civilization of any people is incompatible with and impermissible for a country aspiring to become part of the European Community.
   Turkey continues rejecting the genocide of the Armenians premeditated and perpetrated by the Ottoman state from 1894 till 1896 as well as between 1915 and 1921. By demolishing the Armenian monuments, this country endeavours to obliterate the traces of the existence of the Armenian people and state in its eastern territories about two millennia ago.
   The Armenian culture forms part of world civilization so that the preservation of the Armenian architectural heritage is one of the most important tasks of the international community.