Azerbaijani president: Right of return must be guaranteed for those expelled from Armenia

On December 5, a third international conference organised by the Western Azerbaijan Community is being held in Baku under the theme “Cultural heritage and the right to return: restoring the cultural legacy of Azerbaijanis expelled from Armenia as a path to justice, reconciliation and peace.”

A message from President Ilham Aliyev was read out to participants at the event, according to AZERTAC.

In his address, President Aliyev said the Azerbaijani people — with what he described as an ancient tradition of statehood and culture — had endured repeated suffering, deportations and acts of genocide over the past two centuries.

He stated that following the resettlement of Armenians in what he called historical Azerbaijani lands in 1905–1907, 1918–1921, 1948–1953 and 1987–1991, Azerbaijanis were subjected to violence and persecution, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee their homes and seek refuge in Azerbaijan.

The president said the forced displacement of Azerbaijanis from Armenia, as well as the seizure, destruction and appropriation of their cultural and historical monuments, were established historical facts supported by authoritative documents.

He stressed that it was vital for the international community to take the necessary steps to provide a legal assessment of what he described as crimes against humanity committed against Azerbaijanis.

Aliyev emphasised the importance of ensuring the right of return for those who had been forcibly expelled from Armenia, in line with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Refugee Convention and other key international agreements.

He also called for increased efforts to restore and protect Azerbaijani cultural heritage, saying this was essential for upholding universal values, overcoming hostility and achieving mutual understanding between peoples.

The president praised the restrained and constructive approach of the Western Azerbaijan Community, highlighting its openness to reconciliation and dialogue, its commitment to international law, and its respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states.

He also pointed to the recent meeting between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia on August 8 in Washington, mediated by the United States, as a source of hope. He said the signing of a joint declaration and the initialling of a draft peace agreement had raised the prospect of peaceful coexistence between the two nations.

By Aghakazim Guliyev