Azerbaijani parliament holds public hearing on Western Azerbaijan

A public hearing on "West Azerbaijan: our historical and cultural heritage, subjected to genocide" is being held in the Milli Majlis (parliament), organized by the Azerbaijani Parliamentary Committee on Culture.

The hearing is attended by leaders of the community of West Azerbaijan, public and political figures, MPs and heads of the media, Report informed on June 12.

Ganira Pashayeva, chairwoman of the culture committee, expressed gratitude to Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President Ilham Aliyev for the attention paid to the topic of West Azerbaijan.

"We remember with great gratitude Heydar Aliyev, whose 100th anniversary is celebrated this year. We should be grateful to Heydar Aliyev for the unity of the people and state in return to West Azerbaijan. We know very well that our historical and cultural rights do not end with our borders. Armenia will answer for the vandalism committed against the historical and cultural heritage of the Azerbaijani people," she said.

The hearing continues with speeches.

Earlier, the United Nations (UN) secretariat released the Concept of Return of the Western Azerbaijan Community as an official document of the UN Security Council, the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, Spokesperson for the Community Ulviyya Zulfigar said.

The spokesperson noted that the Concept of Return, which covers issues related to the peaceful, safe, and dignified return of the Azerbaijanis expelled from the territory of Armenia, restoration and protection of their individual and collective rights, including property rights, cultural and historical heritage after their return, had been circulated in all the official languages of the UN (English, French, Russian, Chinese, Arabic, and Spanish).

This is the second document of the Community to be released as a UN document. Prior to that, in January, the Community's appeal to the international community was published as well.

The Concept of Return, adopted by the Western Azerbaijan Community on January 26, 2023, defines the general framework of objectives, principles, preparation, and implementation of activities to be carried out by the Community for the return of the Azerbaijanis forcibly removed from the territory of present-day Armenia. The concept is based on international law, relevant domestic laws, and historical facts, and serves to establish justice and peace.