David Khajakyan Responds to Azerbaijani Delegate's False Propaganda Thesis

During the 44th session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, David Khajakyan, a member of the Board of the Bright Armenia party, reacted to the false thesis presented by Azerbaijani delegate Humbat Huseynov, who spoke about the rights of Azerbaijanis allegedly displaced from Armenia in the past.

In response to the statements made by the Azerbaijani delegate, Khajakyan recalled the 7th provision of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, which stipulated that Azerbaijan was obliged to guarantee the return of internally displaced persons and refugees to the territories of Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent areas.

Khajakyan noted that the Azerbaijani side refuses to fulfill this obligation and is unwilling to return refugees to Shushi, Hadrut, and other regions. “Just earlier, we heard the speech of the Azerbaijani delegate, who spoke about certain demands from Armenia. You know that Armenia is ready to discuss a peace agenda, and that is what is important for us. There have been many agreements, and we can say that we are prepared to implement the agreed provisions. However, now when the Azerbaijani delegate speaks about the return of certain displaced persons, I must read a provision from the statement of November 9, 2020, which was also signed by the President of Azerbaijan. The 7th point states that internally displaced persons and refugees will return to the territories of Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent areas under the supervision of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, but the reality is different because Azerbaijan refuses to fulfill this obligation. They refuse to return refugees to Shushi, Hadrut, and other regions, and at the same time, they talk about their demands on this platform,” said Khajakyan.

He added that peace can only be achieved when each side fulfills its obligations. “You are aware that the Lachin corridor has been closed for a long time, and we saw the statement from the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which states that Azerbaijan is obligated to open the corridor, as it is the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia. However, they are not doing this, creating a humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh, while making statements about new demands. I suggest that the Azerbaijani delegation speak with their president and urge him to fulfill all the obligations undertaken since November 9 and to unblock the Lachin corridor, because a member state of the Council of Europe cannot create a humanitarian crisis for political reasons,” Khajakyan concluded.