MP Valiyeva: Return of Western Azerbaijanis is human right, not territorial claim

The right of Western Azerbaijanis to return to their homes is not a territorial claim against Armenia or a threat to its sovereignty, but a fundamental human right, Azerbaijani MP Parvana Valiyeva told Report.

Valiyeva stated that last week, for the first time, a conference was held in the US Congress recognizing the right of return of Western Azerbaijanis, with a final appeal addressed to both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

She noted that the event was another example of President Ilham Aliyev's successful foreign policy, stressing that the demands voiced in congress reflected not only the outcome of a conference but also the voices of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis expelled from their homes.

Valiyeva emphasized that while bodies such as PACE, the European Parliament, and the French Senate, influenced by Armenian lobbying, continue to support Armenia unilaterally, they ignore the tragedies suffered by more than 300,000 Azerbaijanis – a clear example of double standards and political hypocrisy.

She pointed out that the presence of representatives of the radical Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) at the conference showed how concerned pro‑Armenian organizations were about the issue being raised in Congress.

Valiyeva said that fulfilling the legitimate and just demand of Western Azerbaijanis to return safely and with dignity to their ancestral lands could contribute significantly to building trust in the region and establishing a lasting peace architecture.

The MP declared that double standards and selective approaches must end, and humanitarian law should not be politicized.

She stressed that the fate of Azerbaijanis subjected to ethnic cleansing four times in history should concern the international community: "International organizations and the global public must keep this issue in focus, acknowledge historical truths, and support the recognition of Western Azerbaijanis' rights."