"The return of Azerbaijanis forcibly expelled from the current territory of Armenia to their native lands is their historical, moral, human, and legal right. Armenia must comply with international law and should not create artificial obstacles to the return of our compatriots."
According to EDnews, citing APA, this was stated by Sabina Salmanova, a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Defense, Security, and Anti-Corruption, in an interview with the agency.
According to her, since the early 20th century, in different periods, Azerbaijanis have been forcibly deported from Western Azerbaijan, and as a result of the policy of ethnic cleansing, they were forced to leave their native lands: "Deportation is a crime against humanity. Armenia has committed a crime against humanity against the Azerbaijanis of Western Azerbaijan. President of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, has repeatedly drawn attention to this historical injustice from international platforms and demanded the restoration of the rights of Western Azerbaijanis. The firm position of the head of state on this issue is based on the norms and principles of international law. For Azerbaijan, it is a priority to resolve this process peacefully, within the framework of the rules provided by international law. As our president has repeatedly emphasized, we will return to Western Azerbaijan through peaceful means. Armenia must understand that Azerbaijan has no territorial claims against it. We are merely demanding that the return of our compatriots to their ancestral lands be ensured safely and with dignity, in accordance with the norms and principles of international law. The Armenian government must also restore the property rights of Azerbaijanis returning to their ancestral lands, including their homes and community lands."
S. Salmanova also stated that recently, by the order of the Speaker of the Milli Majlis, Sahiba Gafarova, a Parliamentary Initiative Group on the Return to Western Azerbaijan has been established: "The main goal of establishing this group is to provide legal support for the realization of the right of our compatriots expelled from Western Azerbaijan to return to their native lands. I believe that the creation of such a body in the parliament will allow the issue of Western Azerbaijan to be effectively pursued not only in terms of legislation but also through parliamentary diplomacy."
The MP emphasized that the return of Western Azerbaijanis to their native lands is a historical necessity and will be the restoration of justice, ensuring their fundamental rights:
"According to international law, everyone has the right to live in their original homeland, and this right is enshrined in international conventions. Today, thanks to the successful domestic and foreign policy pursued by President Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijani people are fully confident that the day is not far when Western Azerbaijanis will return to their native lands."
