Western Azerbaijan Community Expresses Gratitude to OIC Member States for Clear Support on Right of Return
Baku, The Gulf Observer: A major diplomatic milestone was achieved with the inclusion of the Western Azerbaijan issue in the final declaration of the 51st Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), held in Istanbul. The session also witnessed the adoption of a dedicated resolution titled “The Right to Return of Azerbaijanis Forcibly and Systematically Expelled from Present-Day Armenian Territory.”
The Western Azerbaijan Community, in a statement issued on the development, welcomed the outcome as a powerful affirmation of international support for the safe, voluntary, and dignified return of Western Azerbaijanis to their ancestral lands.
According to the statement, the OIC documents strongly condemned the systematic deportations carried out by Armenia against Western Azerbaijanis, the destruction of their historical and cultural heritage, and Armenia’s continued refusal to acknowledge the community’s right to return. These issues, the Community noted, were explicitly addressed in both the declaration and the accompanying resolution.
The adoption of the resolution officially places the Western Azerbaijan issue on the OIC’s active agenda, mandating its executive bodies to regularly follow up on the matter. This step follows the precedent set at the OIC Banjul Summit in 2023 and was attributed by the Community to the proactive leadership of Azerbaijan.
“The decisions adopted at the Istanbul session are a clear indication that the OIC is committed to a principled and consistent position on this matter,” the statement said, adding that the move contributes to the promotion of international law, human rights, peace, and reconciliation in the region.
The Western Azerbaijan Community extended its deep appreciation to the OIC member states for their continued support and reaffirmed its commitment to achieving a peaceful and just resolution based on universally recognized rights.
