Western Azerbaijan Community urges UN Secretary-General to send special mission to Armenia

The Western Azerbaijan Community sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, informing him of Armenia's evasion of the Community's dialogue proposal to ensure the return of Azerbaijanis expelled from Armenia, its denial of the right to return, and provocations aimed to prevent the reintegration of Armenians living in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.

The letter also calls upon the UN Secretary-General to make Armenia fulfil its commitments and to send a special interagency UN mission to Armenia to assist in the repatriation of expelled Azerbaijanis, Report informs.

The letter states the following:

“We are writing to follow up on a matter of utmost importance regarding the Western Azerbaijan Community's call for the peaceful, safe, and dignified return of Azerbaijanis expelled from Armenia, as conveyed in our letter to Your Excellency on April 7, 2023.

The Community, despite its suffering at the hands of Armenia’s authorities, demonstrated its unwavering commitment to reconciliation, dialogue, and understanding in seeking a peaceful resolution to this longstanding issue. On March 11, 2023, we reached out to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia with a call to engage in dialogue in good faith and undo the injustice perpetrated by Armenia, causing the expelled Azerbaijanis to endure for decades. A copy of our letter to the Prime Minister of Armenia is attached to this letter.

However, we regret to inform you that the Government of Armenia chose not to respond to the Community's call for dialogue. Not only did the Government of Armenia choose to remain silent in the face of our call for dialogue, but it also exacerbated the pain of our forcibly displaced community by arrogantly denying our rightful claim to return to our ancestral lands.

Moreover, Armenia continues to incite and fuel separatist tendencies among ethnic Armenians living in Azerbaijan and take steps aimed at sabotaging the efforts of the Government of Azerbaijan to reintegrate them. Armenia’s actions undermine the prospects of attaining peace and reconciliation in the region.

As a member of the United Nations, Armenia has specific obligations in the field of human rights and has to address the legitimate concerns of the Western Azerbaijan Community and engage in constructive discussions to find the earliest resolution to the issue of our return to homeland.

In a region deeply affected by separatist tendencies and armed aggression, the Community's commitment to dialogue and respect for international law stands as an inspiring example. The Western Azerbaijan Community's stance deserves to be commended and supported, as it has consistently upheld the values of peace, reconciliation, and dignity, as well as respect for the territorial integrity of States throughout its pursuit of the right to return.

In light of the above, we earnestly request Your Excellency’s esteemed good offices and diplomatic influence to make the Government of Armenia to respond without further delay to the Community's call for dialogue grounded in human rights, peace, and reintegration. Emphasizing the importance of peaceful coexistence, we expect Armenia to fulfill its obligations under international law and to enable our right to return in safety and with dignity.

Furthermore, we kindly urge the United Nations to take necessary measures to discourage Armenia from further provocations aimed at sabotaging the efforts of the Government of Azerbaijan to reintegrate Armenian inhabitants of the Karabakh region.

We also use this opportunity to respectfully renew our request to Your Excellency to consider taking concrete steps, such as sending a UN interagency mission to Armenia, as sought by the Community in its previous letter, to assist in the safe, dignified and voluntary return of expelled Azerbaijanis to Armenia, as well as to render support in rehabilitation and reconstruction of the areas where Azerbaijanis shall return, and to promote reconciliation. Furthermore, we kindly request Your Excellency to direct the UN representative in Azerbaijan to start a dialogue with our Community on issues pertaining to our peaceful and human-rights agenda.

We appeal to your personal and firsthand knowledge of the hardships faced by refugees you gained during your time as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. We count on your empathetic voice and deep understanding of the issue in addressing the plight of the forcibly displaced Azerbaijanis from Armenia and their right to return.

We remain confident that, under your esteemed leadership, the United Nations will help the cause of the Western Azerbaijan Community and advocate for a peaceful dialogue in resolving this longstanding issue.”