In an interview with the Armenpress newspaper on December 19, 2024, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan voiced a number of harmful thoughts that do not correspond to reality in connection with the bilateral relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the issue of Western Azerbaijan.
The Prime Minister's attempt to present the issue of the return of Western Azerbaijanis to their native land as territorial claims and objection to the expression "Western Azerbaijan" are absolutely unfounded. It should be emphasized that the expression "Western Azerbaijan", which covers the former Irevan Khanate, Zangezur and other regions where Azerbaijanis lived for centuries and were subjected to total ethnic cleansing by Armenia, is a term used by Azerbaijanis living in this territory within the framework of their right to self-identification and is based on historical realities.
The Western Azerbaijan community is working to achieve the goal of returning peacefully, within the framework of respect for the norms and principles of international law, including the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states. In this regard, it should be especially noted that the community has officially appealed to the Armenian government with a proposal for dialogue. The fact that Western Azerbaijanis, who have been subjected to ethnic cleansing, discrimination, property rights and other violations by the Armenian government, have taken the first step and initiated a dialogue, shows that they are supporters of reconciliation and peace. It is regrettable that the Armenian government has left the Community's proposal for dialogue unanswered.
We would like to remind N. Pashinyan, who is trying to explain his militarization policy by sovereign choice, that Armenia, where revanchist and radical ideology is deeply rooted, is not capable of handling military force responsibly. Given this, as well as Armenia's aggressive past, it should not be allowed to arm itself freely.
N. Pashinyan's refusal to exclude territorial claims from the Constitution of Armenia, moreover, his statement that the Constitution of Azerbaijan allegedly contains territorial claims against Armenia, show that he is not interested in signing a peace treaty.
The Western Azerbaijan Community demands that the Armenian government respect the right of return, immediately stop its militarization policy and exclude territorial claims from its basic documents.