In an extensive interview with Italy's leading publication La Repubblica, Hikmat Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, stated that Armenia must be ready to allow the Western Azerbaijan community to return to their homes.
According to Report, Hajiyev pointed out that over the past 30 years, Armenia has conducted ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis in Karabakh, expelling people and destroying mosques and other monuments.
"When we conducted a military operation last year to restore our territorial integrity, we did not bomb civilians but rather told them they could stay if they wanted. We also created corridors for the population to go to Armenia. The condition was that they accept Azerbaijani citizenship and rules, and stop living in the 'gray zone' as before. However, they did not accept this, and almost all of them decided to leave," he explained.
The presidential aide further noted that the vast majority of Karabakh Armenians, especially men, have been involved in military activities and participated in operations and battles against Azerbaijan. "If they want to return, they will have to accept our citizenship and laws. But Armenia, in turn, must also be ready to grant the same rights to the Western Azerbaijan community and allow them to return to their homes," Hajiyev emphasized.