UN circulates President Aliyev's address on right of return of Western Azerbaijanis

The United Nations Secretariat has officially circulated the address by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, delivered at the 2nd International Conference “The Right to Return: Advancing Justice for Azerbaijanis Expelled from Armenia” held in Baku on December 5-6, 2024.

The address, along with the final document of the conference, has been distributed as official documents to both the UN Security Council and the General Assembly, says a statement by the Western Azerbaijan Community, Caliber.Az reports.

“The distribution of Ilham Aliyev's address as an official UN document holds immense significance in terms of bringing the issue of Western Azerbaijan to the forefront of the international agenda and securing recognition for our community on the global stage," the Western Azerbaijan Community said in a statement.

The statement further emphasized that the Western Azerbaijan Community will persist in raising the issue of the peaceful, safe, and dignified return of Western Azerbaijanis in international forums.

The community called on the Armenian government to abandon its policy of racial discrimination, honor its obligations under international law, create conditions for the return of Western Azerbaijanis, and initiate dialogue with the community to facilitate this process.

The 2nd International Conference "The Right to Return: Advancing Justice for Azerbaijanis Expelled from Armenia," organised by the Western Azerbaijan Community, concluded with the adoption of a key document.

More than 200 delegates from 51 countries gathered to address the continued displacement of Azerbaijanis from Armenia, an issue that remains unresolved to this day.

The final statement underlined that forced relocation is one of the gravest human rights violations. It specifically condemned the expulsion of Azerbaijanis from Armenia, calling it an enduring injustice. The document emphasized that the right to return is a fundamental human right, firmly established in international agreements such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Pinheiro Principles.

The participants expressed serious concern about Armenia’s ongoing obstruction of the return of forcibly evicted Azerbaijanis to their homes. The document urged the International Criminal Court's prosecutor to investigate Armenia's violations of international law, including its failure to comply with obligations under the Rome Statute.

Further, the document stressed the need to restore property rights to displaced Azerbaijanis. It called on the Armenian government to take concrete steps to return confiscated or seized property and provide compensation for damages caused by the forced relocation. However, the document clarified that compensation, whether material or moral, should not serve as a justification for denying the fundamental right to return.

Another pressing issue raised by the conference was the systematic destruction of Azerbaijan’s cultural heritage in Armenia. This includes the demolition of mosques, cemeteries, and historical monuments. The document urged UNESCO and other international organizations to assess the current state of these cultural sites and take immediate action to preserve and restore them. Additionally, it called on the UN and the global community to intensify diplomatic efforts to ensure the safe return of Western Azerbaijanis.

The document concluded by appealing to the Armenian government to begin a constructive dialogue with the Western Azerbaijan Community. It urged Armenia to amend constitutional provisions that obstruct regional peace, create conditions for opening communications, and fulfil its commitments to regional stability, ultimately benefiting the overall welfare and stability of the South Caucasus.

By Vafa Guliyeva