“GEGHARD”
SCIENTIFIC ANALYTICAL
FOUNDATION
2024
2024
In recent years, Azerbaijan's aggressive claims towards the territories of the Republic of Armenia have been carried out through military attacks, diplomatic pressures, as well as hybrid methods.
One of the manifestations of Azerbaijan's such policy is the so-called "Western Azerbaijan Community" organization, for whose activities enormous resources are allocated.
Recently, the organization's "concept of return" has been published, which is a "document" containing aggressive aspirations towards the territory, sovereignty, and integrity of the Republic of Armenia. The concept contains formulations based on numerous falsifications, such as "at one time Azerbaijanis constituted the majority in the territory of present-day Armenia", "ethnic cleansing was carried out against Azerbaijanis", "Armenia's military attack against Azerbaijan in 2020", and so on.
Through this concept, the Aliyev regime presents a series of demands to ensure "return", including: transformation of the legal framework of the Republic of Armenia and its adaptation to "returned Western Azerbaijanis", use of the Azerbaijani language in legislative, executive, and judicial institutions, deployment of a mission composed of international forces to protect "Western Azerbaijanis", and Azerbaijan's participation in this process.
According to this, the international mission, having police and civil administration powers, will effectively control various territories of the Republic of Armenia.
In addition, Azerbaijanis seek to form local security forces and assume a role in courts. Moreover, Azerbaijan demands "the return of property and community lands, and compensation for damages caused."
Under the guise of reconciliation, the concept proposes to "change place names, demolish monuments, and bring to justice those who committed crimes against Azerbaijanis."
All this is presented under the facade of various documents and conventions on the protection of human rights - the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the Convention on the Status of Refugees, etc.
In reality, this concept means direct Azerbaijani intervention in the affairs of the Republic of Armenia, Armenia's loss of control and governance over its territories. All of this is a blatant violation of international norms and conventions.
Azerbaijan, whose genocidal policy caused the forcible displacement of the Armenian population from Artsakh, continues its aggressive and occupational policy in an atmosphere of impunity.
The fictitous issue of "the return of the community" is also used as a mirrored demand to prevent the realization of the right of Armenians to return to Artsakh. Meanwhile, there can be no comparison between, on the one hand, the non-violent relocation of Azerbaijanis from the Armenian SSR during the Soviet period and, on the other hand, the massacres carried out against Armenians in the Azerbaijan SSR (Sumgait, Baku, Kirovabad) and the killings and forcible displacement of Armenians in Artsakh in 2023.
The Freedom House human rights organization has recently assessed the criminal actions carried out against the Armenians of Artsakh: "The facts obtained indicate that Azerbaijan has acted with a comprehensive, methodically developed strategy to empty Nagorno-Karabakh of its ethnic Armenian population, historical and cultural presence." According to the report, Azerbaijan's actions are violations of international humanitarian and criminal law, and Baku should be held accountable under the Rome Statute, and a lawsuit will be prepared to file with the International Criminal Court to investigate the actions of the Azerbaijani authorities.
Various international organizations and media continue to record and document Azerbaijan's criminal actions, while Baku continues its expansionist policy in an increasingly explicit and aggressive manner.