Turkish MP: Return to Western Azerbaijan based on rights, not war

The concept of return to Western Azerbaijan is founded not on war, but on people’s right to return to their homeland with dignity, Shamil Ayrim, head of the Türkiye–Azerbaijan interparliamentary friendship group and a member of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, has stated.

Speaking at an international scientific conference in Baku, Ayrim said people want to return to the land where they were born, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

According to him, it is impossible to erase a nation’s historical memory.

"The policy pursued by Azerbaijan is not revanchist in nature," he noted.

He added that the issue of Western Azerbaijan is not merely a geographical dispute; it is a matter of ensuring that hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis can return to their native lands with security.

“We know that Azerbaijanis lived throughout history in the territories that are today called Armenia. This geography, stretching from Yerevan to Goycha and from Zangezur to Daryalayaz, is an inseparable part of our historical and spiritual heritage. The graves of our ancestors, traces of our culture, memories and roots are located there,” he noted.

He also said Azerbaijan draws its strength not only from military power but also from a position grounded in international law.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov