Western Azerbaijan Community Rejects PM Pashinyan’s Portrayal of Western Azerbaijan Issue as Military Threat
Baku, The Gulf Observer: The Western Azerbaijan Community has issued a statement in response to an article published by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on February 10, 2025, in which he made what the Community described as “incorrect, unfounded, and harmful opinions regarding regional processes and the issue of Western Azerbaijan.”
The statement from the Western Azerbaijan Community emphasized its support for political processes aimed at establishing peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The Community stressed that the goals of peace between the two states and the return of Western Azerbaijanis to their homes are mutually complementary. The Community also reiterated its acknowledgment of Azerbaijan’s peace efforts, which were initiated by the Government of Azerbaijan following the 2020 Patriotic War.
The statement, however, expressed serious concerns over the actions of the Armenian government, which the Community believes are contrary to peace and human rights. It pointed to Armenia’s large-scale armament program, state-sponsored racism, and denial of the right of Western Azerbaijanis to return as actions that escalate regional tensions.
In its response, the Western Azerbaijan Community firmly rejected Prime Minister Pashinyan’s assertion that there is a military threat against Armenia. The Community underlined that Armenia’s aggressive past, its failure to acknowledge its violations of international law against Azerbaijan, and the prevalence of revanchist sentiments in Armenia’s political and societal circles indicate that the country’s armament program signals intentions of aggression towards Azerbaijan.
The statement also strongly condemned Prime Minister Pashinyan’s attempt to frame the issue of Western Azerbaijan as a military threat. The Community categorically denied the Prime Minister’s claims that their documents contain territorial demands on 60 percent of Armenia’s territory. The Western Azerbaijan Community reiterated that their cause is centered on the return of Azerbaijanis who were forcibly displaced from Armenia, within the framework of international law, respecting Armenia’s territorial integrity, and ensuring their return in safety, dignity, and peace.
The Community further called on the Armenian government to cease actions that contradict peace and human rights, halt its armament program, return acquired heavy and modern offensive weapons to the sellers, and create conditions conducive to the return of Western Azerbaijanis to their homes.
