BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 8. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan made a controversial statement during a press conference on January 8 that dismissed the right of Western Azerbaijanis to return to their ancestral lands, Trend reports.
In response, the Western Azerbaijan Community issued a statement.
"We would like to reiterate that the Armenian government’s efforts to frame the issue of the return of Western Azerbaijanis to their ancestral lands as territorial claims, as well as its objections to the term 'Western Azerbaijan,' are entirely unfounded. The term 'Western Azerbaijan' is a self-identification term used by Azerbaijanis who lived in the region, grounded in historical facts. The community has consistently emphasized its respect for Armenia’s territorial integrity and its desire to pursue a peaceful return.
In light of the unfounded and contradictory claims made by Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, as well as those from Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on July 25, 2023, regarding the 'voluntary departure' of Azerbaijanis from Armenia and the 'compensation' allegedly offered to them, we make the following statement:
First, it is important to note that compensation signifies an acknowledgment of wrongdoing and the losses incurred, which directly contradicts the claim of voluntary departure. If hundreds of thousands of people truly left voluntarily in the middle of winter within a mere two-week period, then why were they offered 'compensation'?’
Secondly, we categorically reject the claim that Azerbaijanis expelled from Armenia received any form of compensation in exchange for relinquishing their right to return.
Lastly, the Armenian government must recognize that people have the inherent right to return, regardless of how they left their homeland. By preventing Western Azerbaijanis from returning, the Armenian government is committing a crime against humanity.
Mirzoyan's statement once again underscores that Armenia's political leadership cannot abandon its deep-seated animosity towards the Azerbaijani people, as evidenced during the eras of Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan, and Serzh Sargsyan. This attitude starkly contradicts their false claims of 'democracy' and 'human rights.'
Armenia is obligated to respect human rights and international law, ensuring the safe and dignified return of Azerbaijanis expelled from Armenia. We demand that the Armenian government cease spreading falsehoods and engage in meaningful dialogue with our community regarding the legitimate rights of Azerbaijanis expelled from Armenia," the statement reads.
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