The Thirtieth Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (Session of Unity and Dignity) held in Tehran - Islamic Republic of Iran, 27-29 Rabea Al-Awal 1424H (28-30 May 2003),

Recalling the Resolutions adopted by the Islamic Summit and other Islamic Conferences, in particular the Ninth Session of the Islamic Summit Conference;



Affirming those objectives and principles enshrined in the Charter of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) aimed at coordinating efforts to safeguard and preserve the Islamic heritage;

Aware of the fact that the Azeri culture, archaeology and ethnography are part and parcel of the history of Azerbaijan and its people and a source of the Islamic heritage as well;

Reiterating United Nations (UN) Security Council Draft RESOLUTION No.s nos. 822, 853, 874 and 884 on the Armenian forces total withdrawal from all the occupied Azeri territories, including the Lachin and Shusha areas, immediately and without conditions; and strongly urging Armenia to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan;

Stressing that the mass and barbaric demolition of mosques and other Islamic Shrines in Azerbaijan, by Armenia, for ethnic cleansing is a crime of genocide;

Noting the tremendous losses inflicted by the Armenian aggressors insofar as the Islamic heritage is concerned in the Azeri territories occupied by the Republic of Armenia, including complete or partial demolition of rare antiquities and places of Islamic civilization, history and architecture, such as mosques and other sanctuaries, mausoleums and tombs, archaeological sites, museums, libraries, artifact exhibition halls, government theatres and conservatories, besides and smuggling, out of the country, and destruction of a large number of precious property and millions of books and historic manuscripts;

Fully sharing the concern of the government and people of Azerbaijan in this respect;

Having taken cognizance of the report of the OIC Secretary-General on the subject:


1. Strongly condemns the barbaric acts committed by the Armenian aggressor in the Republic of Azerbaijan aiming at the total annihilation of the Islamic heritage in the occupied Azeri territories;

2. Vigorously demands the strict and unconditional implementation by the Republic of Armenia of UN Security Council Draft RESOLUTION No.s nos. 822, 853, 874 and 884.

3. Emphasizes its support of the efforts exerted by Azerbaijan at international organizations designed to put an the end to the armed aggression, erase its sequels and honouring the pledges and commitments spelled out in the relevant paragraphs of the Convention reached in the Hague in 1954 on the protection of valuable cultural items in the course of military conflicts. Those paragraphs include a reminder that where an armed conflict erupts, the states undertake to prevent the smuggling of valuable cultural items from the territories under occupation. Likewise, governments are bound to ban theft and looting of whatever type, acts of illegal violations of cultural values [which are tantamount to rape] as well as savage prejudice to the above values. They are committed to prevent such acts or reverse their effects where necessary.

4. Asserts that Azerbaijan is entitled to receiving adequate compensation for the damage it sustained and considers that it is the responsibility of the Republic of Armenia to give full compensation for such damage.

5. Requests the relevant OIC subsidiary organs and specialized agencies to explore the possibility of drawing up a program to help rebuild the mosques, educational institutions, libraries and museums in the Azeri territories liberated from occupation with the help of OIC Member States.

6. Thanks the Secretary-General for conveying the OIC Member States' stance on this issue to the United Nations (UNO), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and other international bodies, and for the coordination procedures undertaken in the framework of OIC subsidiary, specialized and affiliated organs. It also thanks those organs and organizations for their response, especially for the adoption by the IDB and ISESCO of programmes to implement projects to protect Islamic holy places in the Republic of Azerbaijan.

7. Requests the Secretary General to follow-up the matter and report thereon to the 31st Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers.