The state of the relevant infrastructure should be assessed, ecological and cultural heritage samples in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan analyzed, as well as plans to organize educational activities in the field of education prepared, and other measures should be taken, said Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Education Firudin Gurbanov.

"As a result of the Armenian aggression in these territories, along with residential buildings, educational, industrial, agricultural facilities, hundreds of cultural institutions were destroyed and plundered", Gurbanov noted.

The facilities include 927 libraries with a book fund of 4.6 million books, 808 Palaces of culture, clubs and houses of culture, 85 music schools and painting schools, 22 museums and museum branches, in which there were more than 100,000 exhibits, 4 art galleries, 4 theater institutions, 2 concert institutions, 8 parks of culture and recreation, over 700 historical and cultural monuments.

The deputy minister added that currently, the most important task is the restoration of the liberated territories, and measures to organize the education sector are of particular importance.

Armenian Armed Forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front.

On November 10, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia signed an agreement to end six weeks of fierce fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Under the agreement, Russian peacekeepers were deployed along the front line in Nagorno-Karabakh and the corridor between the region and Armenia.

A total of 1,960 Russian peacekeepers were deployed in Nagorno-Karabakh under a five-year mandate.

Also, according to the agreement, on 20 November, Armenia handed over the Aghdam region which lies to the east of Nagorno-Karabakh, to Azerbaijan. This followed on 25 November by the Kalbajar region to the northwest of Nagorno-Karabakh. 

Finally, on 1 December, Armenia handed over the Lachin District, over which the Lachin pass connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia passes.

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