Main points of Concept of Return to Western Azerbaijan revealed

The main points of the Concept of Return have been announced.

Report informs that the Concept of Return is a document defining the main directions of the activity of the Western Azerbaijan Community in this area, whose main goal is to ensure the peaceful, safe and dignified return of Azerbaijanis expelled from the territory of Armenia.

The concept defines the general framework for the objectives, principles, preparation and implementation measures of the activity to be carried out by the Community for the return of Azerbaijanis forcibly removed from the territory of Armenia. The concept is based on international law, relevant domestic law, historical facts, and serves to establish justice and peace.

The main points of the document are the following:

- All Azerbaijanis expelled from present-day Armenia and their descendants have the right to return to their homeland. Conditions must be created for the realization of this right in a dignified and safe manner, and after people return there, their individual and collective rights must be ensured;

- The return process must take place within the framework of international legal guarantees with appropriate guarantees and verification mechanisms;

- In order to ensure the safety of the people who will return, an international peace mission with an appropriate mandate should be deployed in the areas where the return will take place. That mission should consist of the forces of the countries trusted by the Community;

- In the process of return, the geography of settlement before the expulsion must be restored. Dispersal of returnees will be rejected as an attempt against human rights.

- Armenia should start a constructive dialogue with the Community within the framework of the international control and monitoring mechanism for ensuring the individual and collective rights of returning Azerbaijanis;

- Taking into account the special ties of the returning Azerbaijanis with Azerbaijan, conditions should be created for their unhindered connection with the Republic of Azerbaijan;

- The government of Armenia should restore the property rights of returning Azerbaijanis, return their houses and community lands;

- Western Azerbaijanis are ready to reconcile with the Armenian people, to live peacefully and side by side. The Armenian government should make efforts to promote reconciliation, restore and protect the destroyed Azerbaijani cultural heritage, cancel the place name changes it has implemented and end the policy of discrimination against Azerbaijanis;

- The community should participate in all relevant processes during the return process and in the subsequent period as a legitimate representative and interested party of the West Azerbaijanis.

It should be noted that the draft of the Concept of Return was considered at the meeting of the Supervisory Council of the Western Azerbaijan Community held on January 26, 2023. The draft document was approved by voting. Later, the Concept was presented to an extended joint meeting of the main bodies of the Community.