Community: Armenia must ensure peaceful and safe return of Azerbaijanis

The topic of Western Azerbaijan appeared on the agenda as a result of the ethnic cleansing policy pursued by the Armenian government, the Western Azerbaijan Community told Report.

The Community said that by its statement of March 18, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia made another attempt to undermine the right of return of Azerbaijanis expelled from this country:

“First of all, we would like to emphasize that the issue of Western Azerbaijan, which is a human rights issue, appeared on the agenda as a result of the ethnic cleansing policy of the Armenian government and the refusal to eliminate the consequences of this policy. Our organization was founded in 1989 and since then we have consistently fought for the implementation of our right to return. Everyone knows that Armenia is a mono-ethnic country. Armenians, who until recently were a minority in the area, now make up over 99% of the population. We emphasize once again that we are lawful residents of the territory called Armenia, and it is our absolute right to return to our homes. Armenia, regardless of the nature of its relations with Azerbaijan, must create conditions for the return of residents expelled from its territory.”

The Community called on the Armenian government to put an end to the illegal settlement policy carried out in the towns where Azerbaijanis lived and the destruction of the Azerbaijani cultural heritage.

“We once again call on the Government of Armenia to create conditions for the peaceful, safe and dignified return of Azerbaijanis who are lawful inhabitants of this territory.”