Recently, the government of Azerbaijan has not only intensified programs aimed at appropriating Armenian culture but also asserted territorial claims to the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia under the misleading name of "Western Azerbaijan." In Azerbaijan, "Western Azerbaijan" refers to the entire territory of present-day Armenia. Through various conferences, meetings, discussions, and the publication of books and reports, as well as organizing festivals and events, Azerbaijan aims to erase Armenian identity and culture while promoting a new Azerbaijani identity. An example of such efforts was seen in a recent meeting organized by the International Relations Analysis Center (ICRI) and the Western Azerbaijan community on June 10. The focus of this event was "Return of Azerbaijani refugees to Armenia: history and politics of deportation," featuring the presentation of an English-language report.

During the event's opening, Aziz Alakbarli, Chairman of the Western Azerbaijan Community Department, emphasized the report's significance. He asserted that the return of Azerbaijanis to their claimed "Paternal" (historically Armenian) lands is crucial and justified under international law norms and principles.

The "Return of Azerbaijani Refugees to Armenia: History and Policy of Deportation" report comprises five sections. The first section delves into the history of the alleged deportation of Azerbaijanis from Armenia, providing detailed information about its stages. The second section analyzes panel data, survey results, and interviews with victims and witnesses. The third section proposes potential policy solutions for the return of Azerbaijani refugees, advocating for the implementation of social programs, appropriate legal and administrative measures by the Armenian government, and the promotion of inter-community dialogue. The fourth section discusses potential issues and challenges that may arise in implementing these recommendations. Finally, the conclusion section offers pertinent recommendations based on the analysis conducted.

Our response

Alongside its policy of de-Armenianization, genocide of Armenians in their historical homeland, and forced deportation, Azerbaijan continues to pursue territorial, historical, and cultural ambitions. These include promoting plans for Azerbaijanis to settle in Armenia, which is the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia, and the historical homeland and cultural heritage of the Armenian people. These actions are deemed unacceptable as they aim to eradicate the Armenian presence. For further reading on the newly coined term "Western Azerbaijan," you can refer to the article by Ruben Galichyan available at this link: (https://monumentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Text-and-Maps-in-Armenian.pdf).

You can find more detailed information about the discussions surrounding the term "Western Azerbaijan" in other articles on our website.

https://monumentwatch.org/en/alerts/a-new-endeavor-to-appropriate-armenian-historical-and-cultural-heritage-has-emerged-the-inauguration-of-west-azerbaijan-state-television-in-baku/, https://monumentwatch.org/en/alerts/the-organization-known-as-the-community-of-western-azerbaijan-has-appealed-to-unesco-urging-to-safeguard-the-cultural-heritage-of-western-azerbaijan/, https://monumentwatch.org/en/alerts/new-attempts-to-seize-historical-cultural-heritage-unveiled/, https://monumentwatch.org/en/alerts/azerbaijan-declares-yerevan-sevan-and-syunik-azerbaijani-heritage/, https://monumentwatch.org/en/alerts/another-manifestation-of-the-aggressive-policy-of-the-republic-of-azerbaijan/.